


Crimson Stream

by tenshi6



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Hunters, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Blood, Crying, Death, Deception, Dreams, Established Relationship, Family Issues, Hand Jobs, Kissing, Lies, M/M, Mystery, Secret Identity, Smut, Torture, Vampire Turning, Vampires, Weapons, breakdown - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-11-14
Packaged: 2018-07-12 11:26:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 49,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7101322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tenshi6/pseuds/tenshi6
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The vampires and Hunters have always been on opposite sides, but something happened a few centuries ago that made the vampires declare war against the Hunters and so, a vicious battle has started, neither side being able to overcome the other. However, it's all about to change...</p><p>When Hux is ordered to infiltrate the Hunters' HQ and kidnap Ben Solo - a legend amongst Hunters and vampires, - he can't wait to carry out the mission. But how will he feel once he gets to know the Hunters? Will his determination waver or will he execute the wicked plan?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: The Hux/Ben solo vampires AU no one has asked for.
> 
> Huge thanks to my beta [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> Rating will go up and I will update tags as more characters will join the story. Please read the warnings of the chapters. Also, I plan to update weekly (on Sundays) so feel free to come and shout at me if I don't.

The heavy wooden clock just ticked five o’clock in the morning and Hux glanced at it ruefully. Seven minutes until sunrise and he still had a worryingly huge pile of reports to go over. Annoyed, he pushed aside the one he had just finished, reaching for a new folder. He had been confident to be done this time, but every night he returned to his desk, the stack of papers had grown higher. It was most frustrating. There was nothing to be done, though, as he was the one who insisted on the task. There were only a few he would trust with something this important, none of which were currently available. Only one more and he would be done for the night.

This one reported another lost fight against the Hunters. The casualties on their side added up to twenty-five but they were all low ranked. The survivals counted thirty dead Hunters, but Hux knew better than to trust them blindly. Those cowardly bloodsuckers liked to polish their failures. Hux assumed they killed ten Hunters at best, but none of them was anyone significant. What a bunch of useless idiots. ~~~~

Hux dipped his quill in black ink, ready to write a letter of notification that he would visit their base in Budapest, when a clatter of boots hurrying along the corridor interrupted him. He knew who it was before they entered.

“General Hux.” Mitaka stopped in front of his desk. “Supreme Leader Snoke demands your presence.”

Hux nodded and stood up, following his assistant out of the study.

Snoke was the true leader of the clan, even though he mostly remained in the shadows. He was wise and ruthless. Hux didn’t particularly like him, but he respected his position and blindly trusted him in his ability to lead them to victory in the war against the Hunters. Still, Snoke gave him the creeps for some reason and Hux was more than content with following orders without interacting more with him than was necessary. Which could mean one thing: something was of extreme importance and confidentiality.

Snoke’s study was way bigger than Hux’s, but almost empty. There were paintings and weapons hanging on the walls, a few books lying around on his huge desk, and he was sitting in his chair like it was some kind of throne.

Hux addressed him with, “Supreme Leader.”

“We have just received word from Vienna,” Snoke started in a slow, raspy tone. “Captain Phasma captured one of the Hunters’ leaders, Poe Dameron. I have a mission for you.” Hux waited for him to continue after he paused. “You are to stage a rescue of this man, disguise yourself as an ally, earn their trust, and then kidnap Ben Solo.”

If Hux was surprised, he didn’t show it. The name rang familiar; he had read it a few times in reports of unsuccessful missions, vampires often blaming him for their defeat. He was the son of General Organa, who commanded every Hunter. Kidnapping her only son would be a great tactic, Hux had to admit.

It was something that had never been done before. It was risky and dangerous, but Hux liked a challenge. He also liked to be part of something as cruel as this. It would be a hard blow on those weak humans.

“This matter must be done with extreme care. You are my most promising candidate.”

“Thank you, Supreme Leader. I will not fail you.”

Snoke’s cold eyes cut right into his soul. It would have made anyone nervous, but not Hux. Not when he was this determined. Eventually, Snoke nodded. “I’m sure of it, son.

“Of course, your true identity must remain concealed,” Snoke went on. “You will use a fake name and act as a Turned. They know next to nothing about our history, but I’m sure they will demand answers of you.” His bony forefinger pointed at a black folder on his desk. “You can find additional information on what you may tell them in order to make them trust you in there.” Hux picked it up, flipping through the papers. “You will leave at sunset.”

And that was the end of the conversation. Hux nodded, turned on his heels, and walked out of the room, only sparing a quick glance at the sword hanging next to the door.

Finally, the time had come for him to prove his worth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! Feedback means a lot. You can also find me on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/).
> 
> Future chapters will be longer, promise! ;)


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some characters joined the party and tags got updated, please check them before reading!
> 
> Beta-ed by the wonderful [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

Finn was devastated ever since he got the news about Poe’s captivity. Rey tried everything she could to make him come back to real life, but she couldn’t really blame him. It had been several days and they were still unable to locate the vampires’ hiding place. Rey wasn’t someone to give up hope easily but she wasn’t a fool either. The chances of Poe being alive dropped rapidly every second. Finn knew that too.

Poe and two other Hunters had been on the way to Slovakia to get more weapons. They never arrived. They had found the car burnt down ~~,~~ with two bodies inside, whereas Poe had been missing. They had no clue how or when or what exactly happened. They were chasing shadows in the dark.

“Ben left a few hours ago. They’re heading North,” Rey informed Finn before she sat on the side of his bed, holding a mug of lemongrass tea. She offered it to Finn, but he shook his head. Rey sighed. “Finn, I can’t imagine what you feel,” she spoke softly now, trying to smile. “But you must pull yourself together.” She placed her hand over Finn’s. “For Poe.”

“I know,” Finn said quietly.

His voice wasn’t hoarse and the mention of his lover’s name didn’t tear him up anymore. He had stopped crying two days ago and just lay in bed, staring into nothing, feeling empty. It was worse than hearing him cry. It broke Rey’s heart.

She knew how much Poe meant to Finn. Finn was only a farm boy, no older than fifteen, when a vampire attacked them. They slaughtered his parents and would have killed Finn, or worse, turn him if it weren’t for Poe. Poe had been tracking the vampire for days and arrived just in time to save him. Finn had lost everything but then found Poe. And now, once again, he lost everything to the same monsters. What a cruel fate.

“Aunt Leia assigned me to conduct some research,” Rey said, breaking the silence and forcing herself not to dwell on how unfair life was. “I could use some help.” She managed a small but genuine smile.

“Rey,” Finn’s voice was strained, “I don’t think-”

“Yes, you can,” she said sternly. “Just come to the library with me. I don’t care if you stare at one page all day long, please.” Finn was quiet. She squeezed his hand. “Look, you have to keep on living, all right? You know that’s what Poe would want.”

Finn looked away. Rey was right, he had to snap out of it. For Poe.

*****

“Where’s your base, human?” a vampire with a scarred face growled, then slashed at the man’s back with his sharp claws.

Poe groaned through gritted teeth. His bottom lip was already bleeding from biting down on it too often in order not to scream. He wouldn’t give these monsters that satisfaction.

His hands were chained to the ceiling, his feet above the ground by a good fifty centimetres. There was a large bowl under his body, his blood trailing down his skin and falling into it. Occasionally, his torturers would dip their fingers in his fresh blood and lick it off, making disgusting sounds. Poe knew Hunters’ blood was poison to vampires but only in big doses. A drop or two wouldn’t hurt them. It just made him feel sick to watch and they knew it.

He was sure he had more than one broken bone and he felt hot blood pouring down his back way too often. His mouth tasted like copper and one of his eyes was so swollen, he could barely keep it open. He was close to slipping into unconsciousness.

Poe was certain it was the end for him. These vile bloodsuckers would drain his body and this cold, dark cell would be his tomb. He only prayed not to be turned, although that was rather unlikely to happen. It was very rare for vampires to turn a Hunter since it was risky. Not only to the human, but also to them. Plus, as far as Poe knew, it was forbidden but they could never know for sure. The amount of information they had on vampires, especially in the last few centuries, was worryingly small.

Poe’s torturer cupped his face, forcing him to look at him. His eyes were glowing red, his claws digging into Poe’s cheeks to draw more blood.

“Where’s your base?” he repeated. Poe stubbornly kept quiet. “Tell me, and I’ll end your suffering.”

He knew better than to fall for that. These ugly creatures knew no mercy. Betraying his own kind would only prolong Poe’s torture.

This was the reason why the war lasted so long. The vampires weren’t willing to negotiate, they wanted to erase the Hunters and rule the world. According to the old records, it was something new. The Hunters had no idea what had caused the sudden change, but it resulted in a series of red battles that had been going on for almost two hundred years.

“I’m not…telling…you _anything_ ,” he hissed before spitting blood on the vampire’s face. The vampire reeled back, disgusted. He wiped his face and stared at Poe hatefully only for a moment before he moved forward and slapped Poe so hard he saw stars.

“You will tell me! I’m gonna keep you alive until you do. You will beg for _death_ , you pathetic worm!” he howled, raising his hand once again.

Poe braced himself for another slap, but it never landed. Someone appeared behind the vampire and coughed to get his attention. He turned around, clearly annoyed. A red-haired figure towered over him, his back straight, expression calm. He was wearing dark jeans and a red T-shirt, not the black outfit Poe was used to.

“Captain Phasma summoned you.” His tone was quiet but firm. “She said it’s most urgent. I’m taking over the interrogation.”

Poe’s torturer growled, clearly not pleased with the order. He was hesitating, eyeing the other vampire with narrowed eyes. This Captain Phasma had to be a big shot, because in the end, he gave in and nodded.

That Captain had to be a Pureblood and Poe trembled at the possibility. If what he suspected was true, then he better die before being brought in front of him. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against a Pureblood’s mind-reading skills. He was close to passing out anyway. Hopefully he’d never wake again.

He squinted at the ginger vampire standing in the doorway, waiting. Poe hoped he would hit harder so he could die quickly. The sound of footsteps died and the vampire moved to Poe so fast his eyes could barely keep up. He stared at him, challenging him to finish what his blood-brother had started. The ginger lifted his hand and Poe once again braced himself for a hit. But instead of Poe’s face, the vampire cut in half the iron chains holding his hands. He caught Poe before he hit the floor.

“What are you…doing?” Poe whispered, shocked, each word a struggle.

He didn’t dare to hope. Cutting him free could only mean one thing, that he would be moved somewhere else. Probably be dragged to this Captain Phasma.

The vampire broke his chains, freeing his hands and legs. “This is a rescue,” the vampire grinned, not the wicked one Poe saw many times, but a somewhat friendly, even promising one. Poe blinked when the vampire hauled him over his shoulder. “Don’t move.”

Poe couldn’t, even if he had wanted to. The vampire moved easily, as if Poe weighted no more than an empty school bag.

The world around Poe turned pitch black in a matter of seconds.

*

Hux was relieved when he finally reached his first hideout, a small cave well-hidden in the Alps. He could barely stand the smell of the weak human he had been carrying. Not to mention he bled all over him. And they dared to call vampires disgusting. He also thanked Dracula for the human’s unconscious state. It made the escape a lot easier. He ran into a handful of vampires but all of them were Turned. He just had to flash his eyes and they wouldn’t dare to ask a question.

After gathering some wood, he made a fire so that the man wouldn’t freeze to death. That would be really inconvenient. He was already between life and death, Hux could feel his energy fading then coming back erratically. He inspected his wounds, thinking of what he could and should heal. Vampires didn’t possess extreme healing abilities, but their saliva was useful to close smaller wounds. And it weakened them temporarily. Given that Hux was a Pureblood, he could heal a little more effectively, but he didn’t plan on it. Just enough to keep the human alive long enough.

This guy, Poe, was in pretty bad shape. Apart from his swollen eye, his face was covered in cuts, the blood gone dry on the skin. He had a broken wrist and a fractured rib, maybe two. His legs were covered in wounds, but the worst was his back. There was an ugly wound in the middle; clearly his torturer aimed for the same spot over and over, because as a result, an inch of his spine was nearly visible. Hux couldn’t heal that. Maybe a few cuts on the legs but that would do him no good if the injury on the back got infected. He was in worse shape than he had expected. Damn.

Hux hesitated whether he should leave him alone or not for an hour or two to get some bandages and some kind of disinfectant. Well, Poe had to survive somehow, so Hux made up his mind rather quickly.

He made it back before sunrise and the human was still unconscious, for Hux’s luck. He patched him up, then went to sleep.

He woke up at sunset and went to the stream nearby to get some water and catch a few fish. He wasn’t overly fond of them, but they had to do. He chewed on them unhappily as he made his way back, preparing and roasting the remaining two trout so that the human would have something to eat when he woke up.

Hux tried not to think too much of taking care of a human. It was just all part of the mission. There was nothing degrading in following orders. Still, he didn’t have to be happy about it.

It was still dark outside when Hux sensed the human waking up. He didn’t bother to help him sit up, Hux wanted to give him a few moments to take in his surroundings before he would freak out. He looked around slowly, frowning. Then his gaze fell on Hux and his eyes widened; scared; shocked; confused.

“It wasn’t a dream,” he muttered, more to himself. Hux didn’t comment. He just watched him curiously as the man was trying to make sense of everything. It was satisfying to see how long it took him to put the pieces together. He checked his bandages then looked back at Hux. “Guess I owe you a thank you.” He made a small, unsure smile and shakily extended his left hand, the one that wasn’t broken. “I’m Poe. Poe Dameron.”

Hux stared at it with a frown, but then he shook it quickly. He was expected to act friendly.

“Claude,” he said curtly. That was the fake name he came up.

Poe was full of questions; Hux didn’t have to read his mind to know that. He pointed at the two roasted trout impaled on a stick beside the crackling fire. “You should eat.” Poe glanced at the food worriedly. Hux rolled his eyes. “Why would I poison you? I just saved your life.”

Poe slowly reached for the stick, his eyes glued to Hux. “Why?”

Hux hated to say obvious things out loud and even this guy couldn’t be so dumb not to figure out what he wanted. Whatever. Pretending to be nice was harder than he had thought.

“I wish to plead amnesty. And in exchange, I will help you fight my kind.”

“You want me to bring you to our headquarters?” Poe gaped. Hux nodded. “What makes you think I can?”

The corners of Hux’s lips tugged upward into a mocking smile. “Captain Phasma wanted to interrogate you personally. If a Pureblood is willing to get their hands dirty, then it must be something important. Therefore I presume you’re someone important.”

Poe considered it. His fearful guess was spot on then; that Captain was certainly a Pureblood and they planned to question him. Claude not only saved his life, but many of the Hunters’ secrets. He owed him a lot.

“Say I can take you there. What makes you think my people won’t kill you?”

Hux shrugged. “I saved your life. And you seem like an honourable man.”

It was true at least. He was lucky his golden ticket into the heart of the enemy was a guy like Poe. He almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Honour was useless and stupid in a war.

“Why?”

Hux sighed. “We’re not savages. At least not all of us,” he added when Poe sent him a dubious look. “We don’t kill unless we have to. But this war…” Hux glanced away. “I think there’s been enough blood shed.” How ironic of a vampire to say that. Poe eyed him, clearly puzzling whether he should believe him or not. Hux continued. “I know what you think of my kind and you have every right to do so. But not all of us are bloodthirsty monsters. Our leaders…they turned us into something we’re not. We have to obey them because if we don’t…” Hux trailed off.

“...You lost someone,” Poe concluded quietly.

It was ridiculous how easy it was to earn sympathy. Oh, this was going to be a piece of cake. Hux took a deep breath and looked into Poe’s brown eyes. “My wife. They chained her to a pillar and made me watch. The sun…it lasted for hours,” Hux whispered, turning away. “I can still hear her screams.”

Poe was silent for a long time. “I’m sorry.”

Hux wiped away his fake tears, then shrugged. “It was a long time ago.” He sat straight. “Get some sleep.”

Poe didn’t oppose. He wanted to give Hux some space and he needed rest anyway.

Hux knew he would get to the headquarters. It was shocking to see how easily people could be manipulated. One well-thought tragic backstory and he would be welcomed in their home. No wonder they were losing the war.

After getting some sleep, he woke Poe a little before sunset, telling him it was time to move. Poe was a bit reluctant, but Hux made him see reason. The vampires were most certainly looking for them and his wounds needed proper treatment. They left as soon as the last ray of sunshine sunk into the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't forget to leave feedback! Find me on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Also, in case you were wondering, Hux's fake name was inspired by [this post](http://captainameriwoman.tumblr.com/post/142758669175/id-like-to-raise-claude-as-huxs-real-name)


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not Sunday everywhere, but here it's around 1am already so I think it's fine. Also, new characters appear in this one!
> 
> Beta-ed by [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

Poe hissed and fell against a huge oak tree, trying to steady himself. He was drawing in sharp breaths. Hux leaned against another tree opposite Poe, looking bored.

“Just a second,” Poe said, holding up a hand, panting.

Hux crossed his arms over his chest. “I admire your persistence, but I don’t plan on burning alive because of your pride.”

Poe glared at him. “You don’t have to carry me.”

“Chances are you’ll die very soon then.”

Poe was bleeding through his bandages already. “I won’t die,” he snapped.

Hux gave him an incredulous look, but he doubted Poe saw it. He wasn’t fond of the idea of carrying the human, but it was better than watching him bleed out due to his stubbornness.

Poe pushed away from the tree and managed to take a few trembling steps forward before he fell face down. Judging by the sound of it, he nearly broke his nose. He turned around and sat up with an annoyed grunt. Hux rolled his eyes and for a second considered knocking him out to make things easier, but then decided against it. He stepped up to Poe, but didn’t offer a hand to help him up.

“Look, you’re clearly not in the state for long walks. And as much as we both hate to admit it, we need each other. So why don’t you just swallow your pride before you get us both killed?”

Poe stared at Hux who stared back unimpressed. He considered it. True, he didn’t want to be carried like a damsel in distress but he also didn’t fancy dying. An image of Finn popped up in his mind and his heart skipped a beat. Finn most probably thought Poe dead. He had to get back to him as soon as possible, to let him know he was okay. He smiled at the thought of how Finn would react.

“Fine,” Poe said at last, and reluctantly beckoned Hux to help him up. He did grudgingly.

*

Finn had to admit Rey’s idea wasn’t that terrible. Helping with her research was a good way of doing something to feel useful again and take his mind off of Poe, even if it was only temporarily. They were reading books, which were written hundreds of years ago, trying to find something that could be useful to them. They wanted to find the vampires’ headquarters or castle or whatever it was where their leader resided. Generations of Hunters tried to find it with no success, but Rey was determined. She had her laptop in front of her, using it for translation when necessary, and she was scribbling notes on her booklet.

They suspected it was somewhere in Transylvania since vampires were rather attached to that region, but none of the scouting missions had been successful. Rey thought maybe Leia gave her this task to help Finn, but they didn’t have a lot of people to spare, so Leia surely wouldn’t give her a useless duty. Rey had no idea what she was looking for, but she didn’t give up.

Luke had been gone for almost three years, in search of a secret weapon that could defeat the vampires, an item that may or may not exist. They hadn’t heard of him since, and Rey had no idea if her father was dead or alive. Maybe Leia had enough of waiting for her brother and placed hope in Luke’s daughter. Which was flattering, but Rey doubted she would be very helpful.

Finn spent the time improving his Latin, occasionally interrupting Rey with a question or two. At last, he closed the book and leaned back in his seat, yawning.

“I can’t understand another word.”

Rey was also close to becoming a total zombie as she spent hours going through the same text over and over, desperately trying to find some hidden meaning. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at her phone. It was ten to midnight.

“Let’s go to sleep,” she announced, standing up slowly.

Finn followed her out of the library and parted from her with a tight hug when they reached the living quarters, wishing each other good night. Finn wondered if he would ever sleep well again. He didn‘t have nightmares, oh no, he had lovely dreams about Poe, most of them feeling surprisingly real, but Finn dreaded the mornings when he would wake up and realize he would never see Poe again. He would have preferred nightmares.

The next morning, Rey made Finn have breakfast in the garden, insisting that he needed some fresh air. It was going really well until Poe’s adopted stray dog, Bee Bee, ran up to them, jumped into Finn’s lap, and licked his face excitedly. Rey paled and Finn started crying. Then Rey started crying, too, telling Finn how sorry she was and how she didn’t know Bee Bee was around.

They had a lot of dogs guarding the perimeter, but they rarely came to the terrace, mostly because people rarely had their meal there. It was a decent sized mansion with a huge garden, to keep up the appearance but the real thing was underground.

They spent the rest of the day in the library, trying to get lost in the books once again. It wasn’t even seven P.M. before Finn slammed the book he was reading closed. It startled Rey, who glanced at him, confused. Finn looked miserable.

“I can’t do this.” He sighed, defeated. “I can’t just sit here and read when I should be out there, looking for him. What if he’s still-”

He couldn’t finish it. Rey closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. “Ben is doing everything he can,” she said quietly.

“I want to do something, too,” Finn said harshly.

Rey couldn’t blame him. Keeping all this pain and anger bottled up for this long would eventually result in Finn exploding. He better let it out.

“You can’t. Going on a suicide mission won’t make you feel better.”

“And what will, then?! Might as well just die and take some bastards with me!” Finn didn’t remember standing up.

“Don’t say that. There are people who still care about you. _I_ care about you.”

“Yeah? And how long will you live, huh?!” Finn balled his fingers into a fist to stop trembling. “Everyone I love…everyone…I keep losing them. Now, tomorrow, next year or ten, it doesn’t matter.” He was furiously blinking back tears. “I should’ve died that night,” he said at last, his tone frighteningly low.

Rey was close to crying, too. Watching her best friend suffer made her agree with him for a horrible moment. Then she wanted to slap herself for even considering such an awful thought. She walked to Finn and hugged him tight.

“You can’t give up,” she said, her voice breaking. “I won’t let you. Yes, we lost a lot of loved ones. We lost Poe.” Then her voice got firmer as her determination returned. “But we will get our revenge. Not now, but I promise you. Those monsters will beg for mercy and we will put a stake through their cold hearts.”

Finn desperately wanted to believe her. He buried his face into her shoulder to muffle his cries. Rey brought her hands up to his back, stroking him soothingly. She had no idea where that vengeful speech came from but her body was suddenly burning with the desire to kill. She sounded like Ben. She needed to have it under control. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.

Finn probably didn’t notice, thank god. She had no idea how long they stood there, but eventually Finn stopped crying and pulled back, wiping his eyes with the sleeves of Poe’s jacket.

“I’m sorry.” He hiccuped. “And thank you.”

Rey smiled, squeezing his hand once again before letting go. “Let’s go get some food, shall we?”

Finn managed the faintest smile. “Yeah, food sounds good.”

Two hours later, Rey was sitting in the cafeteria alone, leaning on her elbows while poking at the piece of pork stolidly. She knew she had to eat something, but she didn’t have much of an appetite. Finn had gone to bed a good hour ago, after playing with his food and taking only a few bites. Rey was fairly sure Finn wasn’t sleepy, he just needed some time alone.

It had already been five days since they had found out Poe was missing, and at this point, they had no hope to find him alive. Ben was out searching for a dead body but so far they found nothing. They probably never would.

Rey hated to feel this useless. Leia wouldn’t let her go with Ben and she had no idea how to make Finn feel better. She had never been in his shoes and she was afraid of saying something to upset him. She slammed her fork into the meat, staring at it angrily.

“Wow, what did that pork do to you?” someone asked, amused.

Rey glanced up and saw Jessika Pava leaning against the counter, pouring herself orange juice. Rey smiled weakly. “Hey!”

“Is everything okay?” Jessika frowned and sat at the table ~~,~~ next to Rey.

Rey sighed and put her fork down, giving up her half-hearted attempt to eat. “I’m worried about Finn.”

Jessika looked down at her glass. “I’ve heard what happened.”

“He’s devastated.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rey nodded sadly. They both fell silent and Rey was even more annoyed with herself for killing the mood. She liked Jessika, she was fun and sharp-witted and they got along pretty well, even though they didn’t run into each other too often. Rey used to spend a lot of time at the infirmary a few years ago when she arrived and started training with Ben. Jessika often joked Rey was the reason she got promoted as head-nurse, given how much experience she had treating injuries.

She was about to open her mouth and ask about Jessika’s day when the alarm went off. The blaring of the sirens was deafening and the lights turned blindingly bright. They both turned a shade lighter. It had been years since the alarm signaled and they managed to catch the invading vampire. Rey could never forget that night. She had just gotten comfortable with her new place when she was awakened in the middle of the night by the sharp noise. She was so scared, holding her training stick with hands shaking. She nearly hit Luke when he came to calm her down.

Rey jumped up and rushed to the Heart—that’s what they called the huge room where they operated missions, held meetings and tracked vampires. The place had originally been a ball room, but a previous leader of the Hunters had it turned into its current state, walling up the large windows and reinforcing the entrances. It was packed full of tables and computers and weapons hanging on the walls instead of fancy tapestries.

It was already loud and busy when Rey got there. People were rushing around, checking the cameras and the sensors, others grabbing rifles and loading them with silver bullets. A handful of Hunters were hastily punching codes on several keyboards. The mansion was locked down within minutes, after a patrol team left. In the middle of everything stood Leia Organa in her gear, barking orders and holding an intercom device in hand, waiting for someone to report the situation outside.

“We have visual,” someone spoke through the intercom and the room got a lot quieter.

Rey walked to Leia and stood beside her. “How many are there?” Leia asked. There was no reply. “Captain Antilles, report.” Rey closed her eyes. Wedge was on patrol, of course. “Captain Antilles, do you copy?” There was only the awful static noise. Leia’s voice was firm, but Rey could sense she was worried. “Wedge, do you hear me?” he demanded, a faint hint of desperation in her tone.

Rey gripped her gun tight in the holster. She finally opened her eyes, waiting for Leia’s order. She wanted to go out. She was about to ask when the intercom buzzed. Rey was holding her breath back.

“General Organa, you must come see this.”

Wedge didn’t sound distressed or scared. In fact, he sounded shocked. Rey was getting anxious, having no idea of what was going on outside. She glanced at her aunt.

“I’m coming,” Leia replied before grabbing a rifle and looking at the Hunter who controlled the security lockdown. She was communicating with her eyes and the door opened.

Leia left, the room falling deadly silent. Minutes passed. It was almost unbearable. Rey’s heart was about to escape her rib cage. She spotted Finn on the other side of the room, standing next to a computer. Then, after an awful lot of time, the intercom buzzed. It was Leia, her voice just as shocked as Wedge’s.

“Send a medical team.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [bestie](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/) made some [cool aesthetics](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) for the story, check it out and don't forget to reblog!
> 
> As always, feedback is very much appreciated, either here or on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/).


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the feedback so far, you guys are amazing! <3
> 
> A/N: Wedge has joined the team! Yay!
> 
> Beta-ed by the wonderful [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> Find me on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/).

The place looked like a weekend house for a wealthy man’s family, nothing extraordinary or showy. The building was barely visible with the small forest surrounding it. Hux couldn’t sense anything out of place, not even an anxious heartbeat. He drew a conclusion that the headquarters was most likely underground, and he had a wild guess that the front walls were reinforced with some kind of concrete mixed silver.

He would take it to the grave, but he was grateful Poe was awake and he didn’t have to appear at the Hunters’ gate holding an unconscious blood-covered Poe Dameron in his arms. That would have been ~~a~~ hard to explain. Even though he had the confidence that it would not be a problem, he preferred not to.

Poe stumbled to the iron gates and almost fell against the heavy concrete wall that embraced the greenness. He steadied himself and pushed on an invisible button. Hux watched curiously as a flat piece of rock moved and a screen appeared.

Poe placed his hands on it for scanning but his face fell when it turned red and beeped. So they’ve deleted his access. He knew it was for security reasons but it still hurt. He turned to Hux sheepishly.

“Guess you can break the gate now.”

Hux nodded and did so, the iron causing him to strain his arms, but it quickly gave in. He let Poe go first, glancing around suspiciously.

Poe rolled his eyes. “I told you we don’t have traps here.”

“And you told me you had access,” Hux retorted.

Poe glared at him harshly, more hurt by the fact that he really thought he had rather than Hux’s words. He stopped a good two meters away from the gates.  “Get behind me,” he ordered, standing in front of him defensively. Hux growled, but knew he had no other choice. He felt three people coming, their heartbeats fast but even. One of them was speaking into some kind of device, telling their leader they had visual. “It’s me, Poe. Don’t shoot!” he yelled into the darkness.

The footsteps came closer and Hux’s fingers twitched. This moment was critical for the outcome of his mission. If they fired, he would have to take them down and that wouldn’t make a good entrance.

“Poe?” a strained voice came, soon followed by the blinding light of a flashlight.

Poe tried to grin, but it was more of a grimace. He was holding his side, bleeding through his bandages again. “Captain Antilles.”

“Poe, you’re alive? What happened?” Captain Antilles gaped then his eyes flicked to Hux. He pointed his gun at Poe. “What’s the meaning of this?”

“You must call the General here,” Poe panted, placing a hand on Hux’s shoulder, both to show he wasn’t an enemy and to steady himself. Hux grudgingly helped him stand, trying to look as innocent as he could. He took sick pleasure in hearing the Hunters’ hearts skipping a beat. “He saved my life.” Captain Antilles looked as if he had been slapped. “Please,” Poe pleaded, gripping Hux’s shoulder tighter. “It’s important.”

Captain Antilles hesitated, clearly having a hard time to believe Hux saved Poe’s life. Funny, he doubted something which was technically true. Oh, they had no idea.

“General Organa, you must come see this,” Captain Antilles spoke into the device again. It’s a shame he didn’t call for Ben Solo— _that_ would have made things quicker and easier.

Poe smiled weakly, trying his best not to faint. His determination was admirable. “Thanks, Wedge.”

Captain Antilles didn’t say anything, nor did the two other men standing next to him. They were pointing their guns at Hux, sending each other confused looks. Wedge didn’t tell them to fire, but neither to lower their weapons.

Poe suddenly fell to the ground, his knees giving up. Hux was perplexed, something that didn’t happen often. He glanced at Wedge questioningly. He beckoned his head at Hux, so he stepped back, leaving a fair distance between Poe and himself, holding his hands up and bowing his head slightly.

Wedge kneeled beside Poe, inspecting his wounds. In a matter of seconds, General Organa appeared and Hux was slightly surprised to only sense her when she was closer than the others had been. She moved as quiet and graceful as a lioness, despite the wrinkles around her eyes. Hux could tell that once she had been beautiful, but she didn’t look bad now either. Her expression was guarded, but her shock was clear. She glanced at Hux then at Poe, kneeling before him, next to Wedge. Poe grabbed her hand, struggling to speak.

“Please, General, hear him out. He saved me.”

Leia clearly had her doubts, but she nodded, speaking into a device the same as Wedge’s. “Send a medical team.” She then turned to Wedge. “Stay with him.”

She stood up and walked calmly to Hux, though her fingers were itching to put a silver bullet in his head. Hux fought down the urge to dare her and looked at her slowly. He knew the minute their eyes met that she wouldn’t be convinced as easily as Poe. But she was also reasonable and fair, and that was to Hux’s advantage. He did save one of her best Hunters after all.

The medical team arrived, but neither Hux nor Leia paid attention to them. They recognized what Hux was and their heartbeats fastened, but they did their job and asked no questions. They carried Poe away within a few minutes.

“So, why would a vampire save a man?” she asked, staring coldly.

“I wish to plead amnesty.”

“And why would I grant you that?”

“I know you could use some insight and I’m willing to help you.”

She tilted her head. “You saved Poe to show we can trust you. Clever.”

“I saved him because without a reason you would have never let me say a word.”

“You’re not wrong.” She measured him up, thinking carefully about her decision. “But it’s still not a good enough reason to spare your life.”

“I’m willing to take my chances.” It was a bold thing to say, but Hux couldn’t fool her. It was common knowledge that vampires were proud and ruthless creatures, pretending to be innocent and friendly would do him no good. He had to tone down his arrogance though.

She nodded at last, ordering the Hunters, “Take him to a cell. Four guards. No one’s allowed to talk to him but me.”

They handcuffed Hux and the silver burnt his wrist but he could have freed himself if he wanted to. He let himself be taken away and took a mental note of everything he saw or heard on his way to the cell. It was small and damp, occupied by a toilet in the corner and an uncomfortable looking dusty mattress in another. The bars were made of iron mixed with silver. Turning the innocent looking house into a fortress, it surely cost a fortune. He couldn’t wait to see it burning down, lighting a beacon in the dark night, a perfect victory for the vampires.

Hux wasn’t pleased with his surroundings; it was smelly and disgusting and he couldn’t get out of it by sheer force. He trusted his ability to talk himself out of it, but he was no fool. It would take a lot more to earn General Organa’s trust than some half-assed information about his kind.

The guards kept as far away from him as possible, turning their heads away. Hux sat on the floor which still looked cleaner than the mattress, starting to plan his upcoming conversation with Organa.

Saving Poe’s life was a good entrance, but nothing more; it only got him into this filthy hole. He had to provide valuable intel. He would be tested, several times. They would want him to kill his own kind to prove his loyalty. He wasn’t excited about that, but he would do what needed to be done. Vampires knew humans were beneath them, but even they had their own hierarchy. A Pureblood didn’t think much of the Turned and even though Hux had to pretend he was a Turned, he was Pureblood at heart. There were some things you couldn’t just ignore, not even for the sake of the mission.

General Organa came to see him hours later. Hux suspected she didn’t want to seem desperate, but surely all the questions were gnawing at her. She took a chair and sat in front of Hux’s cell, holding a data pad.

“I don’t know why you saved Poe, but as much as I hate to say it, thank you,” she started listlessly, but then her expression darkened. “But, if you think I won’t rip your heart out for deceiving us, you are terribly mistaken.”

Hux nodded. “I would expect nothing less.”

“You think you’re smart, huh?” she asked, smiled mockingly.

Hux put his hands up defensively. “I’m not trying to pick a fight. We both have our reasons and I’m hoping we could come to a mutual agreement.”

She leaned back, crossing her legs. “I’d like to hear your reason first.”

Hux expected it. He sighed, standing straight. “I’ve had enough of the massacre.”

“You see, that’s very hard to believe.”

“I know what you think of my kind. And I’m not saying you’re entirely wrong. But not all of us are evil at heart. We must follow the Purebloods.” Leia looked curious and typed something in her screen. “I don’t know how much you know about our hierarchy, but if you don’t obey… Well, they will make you suffer. Turn your life into hell.”

Leia frowned. “You say you, or some of you, are forced to kill?”

Hux shook his head. “It’s not exactly like that.” It was hard to describe, the urge to kill and the pleasure it brought to see the light disappearing from different eyes. It had a dark beauty to it, something humans would never understand. “You do it because you can’t fight them. You can’t disobey them. You know no other way.”

“How many people have _you_ killed?”

Hux fell silent. He didn’t like it, being interrogated as if he was a prisoner, but she was staring at him, waiting patiently. At last he replied, “More than I’d care to count.”

“So what are you offering?” she asked, changing the topic subtly; thank Dracula. Acting emotional was not really Hux’s style.

“Answers,” he said simply. “Questions about vampires, I will answer as best I can. Also, locations. I rescued Poe from our hideout in Vienna. I can give you the exact place, but I doubt they’re still there.”

“How do I know it’s not a trap?”

Hux shrugged. “You don’t.” He then smiled. “But if it is, then I’m sure you’ll stay true to your word.” Leia smiled back indifferently. “I know I’ve done terrible things. I’m not seeking redemption and I’m well aware you will never trust me, no matter what I do. I just want this war to be over, as much as you do. That’s why I am offering my help.”

“And you want what in return?”

Hux folded his arms over his chest, glancing around the cell meaningfully. “A better room maybe?”

“We’ll see” General Organa snorted, then beckoned to a guard. “Get me a map.” Then she turned back to Hux and stood up, walking closer. “Let’s see how useful your information is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have a spare minute, please leave a comment, it means a LOT.
> 
> Also, don't forget to reblog the [amazing aesthetic](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) made by [my best friend](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: We finally get a cute Stormpilot reunion, hope you will like it! Also, thank you so much for the feedback, keep up the good work!
> 
> A big hug and 'thank you' to my beta: [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

“Poe? You’re alive!” Finn was crying tears of joy as he threw himself at Poe. Poe winced, but hugged Finn tight, barely holding his own tears back. He had just woken up and the first thing he saw was Finn’s worried face. He smiled weakly. “I can’t believe you’re back,” Finn mumbled against his neck. “I thought- I was sure- you-” He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Yeah, it was a close call,” Poe agreed, placing a soft kiss on Finn’s temple. A few days before, he had thought he would never see Finn again. He didn’t care if Claude was a vampire. If it weren’t for him, he would have died in agony and left Finn alone. That would have broken Finn. He owed Claude everything.

“It’s good to have you back,” Rey said, trying to blink back her tears.

She was standing close to the door, giving them space. Poe grinned. Finn let him go at last, taking a seat next to his bed. He was holding Poe’s hand as if afraid that if he let go, Poe would disappear.

“I still can’t believe it,” Finn admitted.

Poe sat up a bit and smiled at him. “Me neither.”

“I can’t believe you were saved by a vampire,” Rey stated.

When she had found out, she was shocked, but in a good way. That vampire’s act gave her hope. She wanted to believe not all of them were evil.

Poe let out a soft laugh. “Trust me, I can totally understand.”

“What’s he like?” Finn asked curiously. Normally when they talked about vampires, they would spit that word, but given the circumstances, none of them felt it appropriate.

Poe grimaced. “Weird.” That was the first word that came into his mind. Claude was weird but in a way when someone doesn’t know how to act properly in a certain situation. It was understandable. A vampire and a Hunter interacting was something rarer than a snowy crow. “Closed-off,” Poe added with a shrug. “But he’s kind of nice, y’know, in his own way.”

He wasn’t ready to elaborate on the part of being carried by him; that was something he would rather forget.

“Did you talk much?” Rey asked, tilting her head.

“Just a bit. I asked him why he saved me.”

Finn and Rey looked at him expectantly.

“He said he didn’t want to fight and the Purebloods killed his wife. They made him watch.”

Rey gasped. “That’s horrible.”

Poe agreed. “I’m sure he’s done a lot of awful things, but he did save me from a Pureblood.” Finn stared at him wide-eyed, squeezing Poe’s hand a bit too tight. “She wanted to interrogate me. I don’t know what would have happened. I could’ve betrayed you.”

Poe whispered the last part, horrified by the possibility. They fell silent for a while, having a lot to think about. This whole situation was surreal. They could have imagined a lot of things, but allying themselves with a vampire wasn’t an option. Yet, here they were. Finn knew he was supposed to hate vampires and kill as much of them as he could. He hadn’t forgotten the night his family was murdered, or the few fights he had been in, but his opinion was changing quickly. He didn’t have to like all of them, but he definitely owed a lot to this specific vampire. He did save Poe after all and brought him back safely. Rey felt quite similar.

“I’ll leave you two alone,” Rey broke the silence with a smile and turned on her heels, heading back to her quarters. The night had been rather busy and she wanted to have some sleep. When she woke up hours later, she had the craziest idea. She almost dismissed it as a dream, but when realization ~~stroke~~ struck, she bolted upright, her heart beating faster. It was truly a crazy idea, but a brilliant one. she ran to find her aunt, ready to beg for permission. As expected, General Organa’s first reply was a strict no. “Please, think about it. Our people have been trying to make sense of all those texts for centuries. Maybe we just need someone with a different point of view,” Rey reasoned.

“Rey, you’re asking me for what? To allow a group study with a vampire whom we know nothing about? I cannot do that.”

“He saved Poe,” Rey pointed out.

“Don’t be naïve,” Leia snorted. “That doesn’t prove anything.”

“He’d stay in his cell. I’ll take the books there.” Leia shook her head. “Please, you know it makes sense. We need his help. Maybe what we need to find out the vampire’s secret is from the help of a vampire. Who would know them better than he?”

Leia sighed. “Rey, if anything happens-”

“I can take care of myself. He can’t get out of the cell.”

“…Two hours a day, no more,” Leia said after minutes of tense silence. Rey broke into a grateful smile. Leia raised her forefinger. “Two guards, and no one else but you talk to him. If he does anything suspicious, even looks at you badly-”

Rey refrained from jumping. “I’ll report,” she nodded vehemently. “I’ll report everything. Thank you!”

“You have a week. If he’s not useful, I’m taking it all back,” Leia said seriously.

“He’ll be useful.”

Rey was certain. Leia looked doubtful but didn’t say anything else. Rey trotted to the library to choose the right books, smiling triumphantly all the way. she was confident the vampire would help. He saved Poe after all, he couldn’t be that bad.

*

Hux sat up as soon as he heard someone coming down the stairs. It wasn’t General Organa. It was a young girl, no older than 23, carrying a small leather-bound ~~ed~~ book and a notebook, taking careful steps. Her heart was pounding fast in her rib cage but Hux was surprised when he couldn’t detect utter fear. True, she was scared, but it was a different kind; she was cautious, interested, excited. She was escorted by two guards, who came to relieve the other two standing guard at Hux’s cell. They didn’t question what the girl was doing down there.

Hux leaned against the wall, watching her approach as the new guards took their positions. She put the book and the notebook down in the chair that General Organa had used, then she drew herself up, smiling nervously at Hux.

“I’m- I’m Rey.” She looked a little clueless when Hux didn’t react. “I was hoping you could help me.”

Hux frowned. “Why would I?”

“Um, because you want amnesty? And it looks pretty bad if you don’t cooperate,” she said seriously. Her smile then returned, one corner of her lips tugging upwards. “I guess you must be pretty bored.”

Hux grinned. That was true. She didn’t look like someone who wanted his head, so Hux figured she could be a great asset during his time with the Hunters. He needed friends and he suspected she was someone pretty important since they let her down there.

“What kind of help?” he asked, glancing at the book. “With that?”

Rey picked it up, flipping through the pages. “I’m trying to find your secret lair or castle or whatever.”

Hux nodded thoughtfully. “It’s flattering, but I don’t know the location.”

Rey shrugged. “Having a look at these texts won’t hurt. Maybe you will find something I missed.”

Hux considered this, then walked closer to the bars. “All right.”

Rey sighed in relief, then quickly found a page. “I hope you speak Romanian.”

Hux frowned, slightly offended. He spoke a lot of languages. Of course these silly weaklings had no idea about his upbringing. Rey handed him the book through the bars and Hux could feel the guards tensing. He took it slowly, having a look. It was a description of a place near Ukraine where people disappeared mysteriously and days later were found dead. All of them drained by blood.

“How is this going to help exactly?”

Rey sat down and opened her notebook, grabbing a pen from her pocket. “Just read it and then we can discuss.”

Hux knew she wouldn’t find out anything, but it was a good way to pass the time and also find out how much the Hunters knew about vampires.

For the next one hour and a half, Hux read pages, then explained a few things about that certain place, giving more fake information then real. He had to be careful as it could have easily been a trick, even though Rey did seem honest. He made sure to avoid certain topics or pretended that he had no idea about them while still providing useful information.

Rey was taking a lot of notes, but eventually she looked up from her notebook and glanced at her wristwatch. She must have a time limit, Hux observed.

“All right, I think that’s enough for one day.” she stood up and took the book Hux was handing her, but when she turned to leave, she hesitated. She opened her mouth several times only to close it. Hux stared at her curiously. She then gathered her courage and asked, “May I ask you a few questions?”

Hux grinned. “Only now?”

Rey grinned back. It was surprising how easily she got used to him. She was quite unique, Hux mused.

“Can you- can you read my mind?”

Rey seemed a little frightened by the thought, so Hux answered, “A little, maybe. I must concentrate very hard and it takes a lot of energy.” She was glancing at him, the next question written all over her pretty face. “No, I didn’t read your mind.”

She smiled, relaxed. “Okay, thanks for that, I guess.”

Hux grinned. “You’re welcome.”

Rey didn’t know if he meant it or was just mocking her. She decided to ignore it and went on. “How old are you?”

“One hundred and thirty-six years old.” It was actually 325, but there was no way he would admit that. Only Purebloods had such long lifespans, a Turned that old was unheard of. The oldest Turned Hux knew of was around 250. Since the war, their years decreased rapidly.

“Wow, that’s a lot. I’m only twenty-two,” Rey gasped. Hux only missed her actual age by one year. “Okay, so um…what do you eat? Do you eat at all? I mean, like, real food?”

“I can eat your food, but it makes me sick after some time. I prefer raw meat.” It was true. “But it can’t be a substitute of blood.”

Rey nodded thoughtfully, then she glanced at him worried. “Speaking of blood. Aren’t you starving?”

Hux wanted to laugh at her concern. What was wrong with this girl? She was caring for him, accepting him, treating him as one of their own just because he saved one man… Ridiculous.

“I’m a little thirsty, I admit. But I’m not starving, not yet, it takes some time. A week maybe.”

“I’ll see if you can get some,” she assured.

Hux snorted. “I doubt General Organa will be keen on the idea.”

“If you spoke the truth and you’re an ally, then letting you die wouldn’t be very smart.” Well, Hux never said people were smart but he kept his mouth shut. “I’ll ask her.”

“Okay.”

“…I’ve never spoken to a vampire before,” Rey admitted with a hint of childish excitement in her brown eyes.

Hux smiled again. Smiling made people think him less scary in his experience so far. “I’ve not spoken to many Hunters either.”

“You’re pretty cool.”

Now that made Hux chuckle. “Well, thank you.”

“Thank you, for saving Poe,” she said out of the blue before glancing at her wristwatch to hide her flushed cheeks. Hux didn’t reply. Faking too much emotion would be suspicious. He just simply nodded in acknowledgment. “Guess I should go now,” she announced, turning to leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’ll be here.”

This made her laugh.

Hux turned away from the bars. He was doing rather well. Soon, he’d have all these humans wrapped around his finger. The only real challenge had been General Organa so far and Hux had a feeling once she realized he did give useful information, she would change her mind, too. She was smart and wouldn’t let a great asset rot in a cell when she could send Hux on missions, making him fight for them. Hux just had to be patient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ben will join the party in the next chapter, are you excited? 'Cause I AM!
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment, it means the world to me! <3


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ben has finally arrived!
> 
> Beta-ing was done by the awesome [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> Don't forget to check out and reblog [the pretty aesthetic](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) made by [my bestie](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/)

Rey found her aunt in the infirmary. She was sitting in a chair next to Poe’s bed, listening intently. Finn wasn’t there; he was probably sulking in his room about being ordered to leave. Rey hesitated whether she should interrupt or not. After a few minutes, she decided to interrupt, as the conversation had to be about Claude and she was already involved.

Poe’s eyes flicked to Rey as she opened the door. He was smiling. “Rey, hi!”

Leia turned to her, looking exhausted. “Come in. Poe just finished telling me about the vampire.” Obviously, she didn’t have much sleep lately. Her tone was tired and slow. “I’d like to hear your opinion.”

Poe watched her, his gaze unsure. Leia must have told him Rey met Claude.

“He helped me with the research,” Rey chose her words carefully. “He was willing to answer some of my questions about vampires, too. He is pretty guarded and odd, but I think he’s okay.”

Poe smiled relieved. “I said the same.”

“You think we should trust him?” Leia directed the question to both of them, frowning.

“Not blindly, no,” Rey said while Poe replied, “I wouldn’t dare to say trust.”

Rey gestured at Poe to continue. He did. “I think he could be a great asset. I’m not saying we should trust him completely, but we should give him a chance.”

Rey nodded. They looked at Leia for confirmation or denial. She was deep in her thoughts. Poe and Rey were right, but the situation was still so unbelievable. Maybe luck was finally on their side, but Leia found it hard to believe. She had too much experience in things going wrong when she thought they were winning, and not only just in this war. She was reluctant to rely on this chance, but if it was true, then she couldn’t miss it.

Finally, she declared, “I don’t like it, not one bit. I find his story really hard to believe.” She rubbed her temples. “However, if he is telling the truth, then I agree, he could be very useful.”

“We should test him. He could help with training…” Rey started, unsure.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Poe agreed.

“And how do you think to do that?”

“It’s just an idea.” Rey bit her lips, thinking. “We will figure something out. It would be a good way to see how he fights and cooperates with us.”

“It’s risky,” Leia pointed out.

“We cannot test him behind silver bars,” Poe retorted.

Leia was silent for several minutes. She wasn’t fond of the idea, but they had a good point. Claude needed to be tested and inside this place would be safer. “I’ll discuss it with Wedge, I won’t let you train alone with him.”

 “Of course,” Rey smiled; she liked Wedge. “Also, about his…feeding… Can we talk?” she said carefully. She knew it was natural but it was a rather sensitive topic in her opinion.

“I know,” Leia breathed out heavily.  “I’ll see to it.”

“After my recovery-” Poe started, but he was cut off as the door flew open.

Ben was standing in the doorway, his head red. “HAVE Y’ALL LOST YOUR MINDS?!” he shouted, causing Rey and Poe to stare at him wide-eyed. Leia was only mildly surprised. “You brought a vampire _here_? What is wrong with you?!” He ranted. “You think he can be an ally? He’ll kill us all the first chance he gets!”

“Ben, please, calm down,” Leia said softly.

Rey rolled her eyes. “You haven’t even met him.”

“He saved my life,” Poe pointed out.

Ben frowned at him. “I’m glad you’re alive, man, don’t get me wrong, but that’s still not a good enough reason to invite him to live with us!”

“You don’t even know him,” Rey reasoned, but she knew it would only be fuel to the fire. Nonetheless, she couldn’t stand it when Ben was acting stupid. He had no right to make such a big deal out of it. Yes, Claude was a vampire, but he didn’t want to kill them and he did save Poe and helped Rey. He was nice.

“I don’t-are you even hearing yourself?!” Ben barked. “What? So he saved Poe and now you’re all besties?!”

“We didn’t say that!” Poe exclaimed.

“How can you be so stupid?! I leave for a few days and come back to this madness? Did he put a spell on you guys or what? It’s a fucking nightmare, can’t you see he-”

“That’s enough,” Leia cut him off sternly and to everyone’s surprise Ben stopped. She was standing and, despite being short, she always managed to make everyone feel small in her presence. Ben glared and looked like he was about to explode, but he kept his mouth shut. “We need to talk.”

Leia pointed at Ben and left. Ben followed her, murmuring various insults under his breath.

“Well, that was…” Poe was searching for a proper word. “A bit dramatic?”

“Not just a bit,” Rey groaned. “But you know his temper. He’ll see reason once he calms down.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Rey hoped so, too.

*

“What was that?” Leia demanded firmly as soon as she shut the door. She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at Ben disappointed.

“No, mother, what was _that_?” Ben retorted, glaring back angrily. “Siding with a vamp, really? How could you allow that?”

“We’re not siding with anyone. The vampire offered his help and we are going to use him.”

“You can’t trust that freak!” Ben gaped.

Leia snapped, “Who said anything about trust? We will use him to our advantage if he proves useful, that’s all.” She narrowed her eyes. “If you have a problem, I advise next time you talk to me in private. I won’t have you question my leadership in front of others.”

“Those others were Rey and Poe,” Ben huffed.

“I suggest you calm down so we can talk like adults,” Leia stated coldly. She had enough of Ben’s temper-tantrums. She knew it was probably her fault, but she had to make it right. Ben was a great Hunter, one of the best, but he was easily carried away by his emotions. That was something that couldn’t happen on a battlefield. Letting Ben fight alongside with them was like carrying a ticking bomb. It was too dangerous. He had to learn how to control it.

Ben slammed his fist down the nearest table. “I _am_ an adult!”

“Then act like one, because your childish outbursts indicate otherwise.”

Ben rolled his eyes but bit the inside of his mouth, his lips narrowing into a thin line. He was so frustrated he could explode. He wanted nothing but to protect the Hunters. His sense of duty came before anything else, something he inherited from his mother. And now she was the very reason they had all been put at risk, because she thought she was able to control a vampire. How could she not see it? How could she be so naïve?

“I know it’s shocking,” Leia started, her tone softer this time, “but this vampire saved Poe’s life and provided valuable information. This is something that has never happened before. We must take our chances.”

“He is obviously up to-” Ben claimed but was silenced by his mother raising her hand.

“I’m not saying we’re going to trust him. I’m only willing to give him a chance to prove himself. And if you’re so worried about it, then you should help with testing him.”

“But mother, you’re asking me to side with the enemy!” Ben almost whined.

He felt helpless. Why didn’t his mother understand? It was too dangerous. She couldn’t believe that vamp changed sides just because he saved Poe.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” Leia quoted.

“We can’t be _that_ desperate,” Ben retorted, his fists trembling.

“You will keep an eye on him. Rey accepted him too easily. I’d need someone who is more cautious anyway. I’m confident you won’t miss anything if he’s up to something.”

“Rey did what?” Ben gasped. He was going to have a serious conversation with his cousin about her choices.

“She suggested to include him in the training. I’ll give her permission. I want you to oversee it all.”

“You want me to babysit him?” Ben laughed incredulously. “Are you crazy?” Leia stared at him unimpressed. Ben’s laugh died out. “C’mon, mother, you can’t be serious.”

“He is already helping with Rey’s research. We need to test him and we can’t do that if we keep him locked up.”

“He’s studying with Rey?! Fucking hell, I’ve barely been gone for a week!”

“Are you going to help us or not?” Leia asked sharply; she was getting tired of arguing.

Ben rubbed his face, groaning. He didn’t like it, not one bit. It was stupid and reckless and far too dangerous, but deep down he knew his mother had a point. And he was an exceptional Hunter, if someone could stop that vamp, it would be him. He couldn’t let Rey deal with him alone. If anything happened to her, Ben wouldn’t forgive himself.

“Alright. I’ll help.”

“Thank you,” Leia said, clearly relieved that Ben finally came to his senses.

Then she left, leaving Ben alone to fume. He grabbed the first thing that was in his reach, a heavy book, and threw it at the closed door. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He was very curious about how this vampire managed to brainwash everyone. He was going to put a stake through his heart the moment he made a funny look. He wouldn’t put his loved ones at risk.

*

Rey was on her way to dinner when she almost crashed into Jessika, who was carrying a tray packed with cakes and biscuits.

“Eating in secret?” Rey grinned teasingly.

Jessika snorted. “I wish. These are for Poe. He’s killing me. I keep telling him he needs to eat real food but he just wants sweets, saying he deserves a treat.”

Rey laughed amused. “You know, he never was keen on healthy eating habits.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Let him have his treats for now, I’m gonna kick his ass at training for you.”

“You better.” Jessika smirked conspiratorially, then her expression turned serious. “I don’t mean to pry, but is it true you’ve met the vampire?”

“Wow, news travel fast around here,” Rey said, surprised. She knew the word would get out eventually, but this was pretty soon. She nodded. “Yeah, I’ve met him. His name’s Claude.”

“What’s he like?” Jessika whispered and it made Rey smile. Jessika acted as if it was some kind of deep secret.

Rey shrugged. “He’s pretty nice, actually. Weird, but in a good weird. I know, you must think I’m crazy.”

“I don’t. I’ve never met a vampire before, that’s why I’m asking you.”

Jessika’s answer was a relief. Rey had already had enough of people staring at her like a traitor just because she wasn’t thirsting for Claude’s blood. They weren’t barbarians.

“I have a feeling he’s not like others. There’s something, _special_ about him, you know? I can’t tell what, but I feel it,” she admitted. “I’m sure he killed a lot of people, probably some of us. But he’s been nothing but cooperative with me, even kind. I don’t want to judge him by his past. I mean, we all have dirt on our hands. He hasn’t given me a reason to hate him.”

“Interesting point of view,” Jessika said diplomatically. She could see where Rey was coming from, but true, it was strange. Anyway, she wasn’t about to judge Rey. “Well, good luck then.”

“Thanks,” Rey smiled and started to walk away.

She was a few meters away when Jessika added, “And Rey,” Rey turned questioningly. “Be careful.”

“I will.”

Rey had dinner, grilled cheese with vegetables, and then stopped at the library on her way back to her sleeping quarters. She picked up some books, trying to decide which one to use. She was planning the next day’s session with Claude, sticking a post-it to pictures she had questions about and marking texts she wanted to discuss with him. She was in the middle of selecting paintings so she could ask about their authenticity when Ben burst into the room and slammed the door shut. Sharing sleeping quarters was not exactly peaceful. Ben was still pissed, he was murmuring under his breath, but then he found Rey’s gaze on him.

“Mum is going to approve your _brilliant_ idea,” he said mockingly.

Rey scowled. “What idea? Oh, you mean the training?”

“Yes, I mean the bloody training,” Ben growled.

“I don’t know what your problem is, it has nothing to do with you,” she said calmly, watching Ben pacing.

Ben was clenching his fist, going from wall to wall, occasionally sending a death glare at Rey. “It has everything to do with me; you don’t think I’ll leave you alone with that savage.”

“I can protect myself.”

“Yeah, well, that’s not the point.” He stopped at last, hands on his hips. “What possessed you to come up with that suggestion?”

“It’s not a bad idea and you would see it if you weren’t so blinded by your emotions,” she said sharply, glaring back.

Rey knew Ben’s temper, but this was getting ridiculous. They had always gotten along pretty well, Rey being the only one who knew how to tolerate Ben’s mood swings and also being the only one who could talk sense into him. She was never afraid of saying something wrong that would result in Ben snapping at her. He never did. He was rude and mean, but that was just the surface; he did it to protect himself. Rey knew that well. She understood Ben, that’s why Ben was acting different with her. He cared for her. He didn’t want to disappoint her.

“I’m being reasonable!” Ben argued.

Rey couldn’t understand why Ben was acting so offensive even though he hadn’t met Claude yet. “No, you’re being childish,” she retorted. “You don’t even know him.”

“I don’t have to know him, he’s like all the rest. Just because he saved-”

“He’s not like the rest, I’m telling you!” Rey got to her feet, grabbing the side of the table hard. She had a temper of her own and she was getting close to her limit. She knew Ben was worried, but she wouldn’t tolerate injustice. Ben had no right to judge Claude. “Don’t you see? He had no reason to save Poe. A Pureblood could’ve interrogated him and then we’d all be dead and you would have come back to find our drained corpses. He didn’t just save Poe, don’t you see?”

Ben gaped, unable to respond.  He hated to admit she had a point. Rey sighed. “Look, I know you don’t like the situation. I’m not saying you should like him, but he can help us. How often does a vampire help us?” Ben was quiet. “Just, give him a chance, okay?”

Ben rolled his eyes. He doubted he could be convinced this vampire wasn’t a wicked monster like the rest. But Rey was right, it was war and they needed all the help they could get. Even if it was with a vampire.

He changed the topic. “Shall we work out that training schedule, then?”

Rey smiled, feeling triumphant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, things are starting to get exciting! Hope you will like it!
> 
> If you have any question, suggestion, whatever or simply want to scream with someone about kylux, message me on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/).


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Nothing extra, just Hux and Ben meet for the very first time. ;)
> 
> Beta: [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

The training plan was surprisingly simple. Rey and Ben agreed on not including too many Hunters as surely they wouldn’t be comfortable with the idea of having a vampire around them. At the first few times it would only be Ben, Wedge, Finn, Rey and of course Claude. They would allow a few more people to join later on, if they wanted to. It was strictly voluntarily to avoid risk. Ben himself was a big enough risk, though Rey was fairly sure he wouldn’t do anything reckless.

They would equip one of the training rooms, the one closest to Claude’s cell, with broken furniture and hidden traps and they would play a kind of game which was a mixture of paintball and capture the flag. They would be divided in two teams and the mission would be to get one team’s flag while that team would try his best to protect it. They wouldn’t use sharp weapons and they would forbid Claude to bite or use his claws. It was too dangerous.

Rey volunteered to team up with Claude, something which Ben wasn’t happy about, but refrained from ranting too much. It would last for half an hour at first go, to see how it worked. It was more of a game than an actual training, but this was the safest idea. They would also get a chance to test how well Claude could follow orders from humans.

General Organa had approved the first ‘vampire training’ as they started to call it. It was scheduled in the morning, the day after tomorrow.

Hux was mildly surprised when General Organa visited and not only gave him a small plastic bag of blood, but told him he would train with some other Hunters, including Rey and Organa’s son, Ben Solo. Hux pretended he didn’t care much and agreed, listening to the rules while thinking about his encounter with his prey. He wondered what Ben was like and if it would be easy to deceive him.

Rey also stopped by, going over more texts and discussing translations. She also showed Hux a few paintings, asking if they were really portraying vampires. Some of those were alarmingly accurate and Hux thought carefully before answering. She seemed clueless about these, but he had to be cautious. Mostly he just shrugged and replied, “I don’t know.” Rey also looked excited about the upcoming training, talking about it a lot.

“I can’t believe the General actually allowed it. It was a long shot.” Hux remained quiet, marveled by how easily Rey accepted him. He wasn’t sure if she was playing a game or was simply that naïve. He would go with the latter. “Are you looking forward to it?” she asked, genuinely curious.

Hux shrugged. “I know you plan to test me.”

“It will be fun,” she assured him, smiling.

The morning of the training came and Leia discussed the rules with Hux once again, warning him about the consequences of not following them.

“No tricks,” Hux promised.

Hux didn’t plan on doing anything yet. He had to fit in first, earn their trust. That was the first step, to blend in without being too obvious. It wouldn’t be easy but he could do it. He had already made Rey think he was harmless. Silly girl. Rey soon appeared, wearing black pants and a black tunic, the Hunters’ gear.

“Still not excited?”

“Not really,” Hux said.

“Well, I am.” Rey walked to the bars and handed over a small bundle of clothes. It was a plain white T-shirt and a dark red pair of jeans.

Hux frowned. “Seriously?” He pointed at the jeans. “Is it because of my hair?”

“No,” Rey said quickly, before grinning sheepishly under Hux’s incredulous stare. “Well, yeah, okay, maybe.”

Hux changed, leaving his dirty clothes on the floor. General Organa looked at him sternly, keys in her hands.

“Don’t make me regret it.”

“I won’t,” Hux promised.

“I will oversee the whole training from the control room. This part will be locked down until you’re back in your cell.”

Hux nodded and patiently waited for his cell to open. He could feel everyone’s heartbeat quickening though they had no reason. Not yet anyway.

His handcuffs were also taken off, which was a relief. He rubbed the burnt skin to show his discomfort. Rey sent him an apologetic look. General Organa nodded at Rey and they started to walk away, in the opposite direction of the door. General Organa’s gaze burning a hole in Hux’s back.

“Finn and Wedge are okay with you, so don’t worry.” Hux didn’t. “Ben might be an asshole, but he often is, don’t mind him,” Rey chatted casually as they walked along the corridor. “We’re a team, we’ll kick his egoistic ass.”

“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Hux was honestly curious.

“Why would I be?” Rey frowned. “You’re on our side, aren’t you?”

“I’m still a vampire.”

“A vampire who saved my friend. You may not be a saint, but you’re not a monster either.”

Hux felt odd. He had never thought of himself as a monster but he knew what humans thought of him. They were probably right, he just never cared. He didn’t understand how could Rey be this non-judgmental when she was raised a Hunter. It was unsettling.

Rey looked at him, smiling. “Let’s go have some fun, partner.”

Hux was taken aback to be called that. He would be offended, but he was too surprised to get angry. Why was Rey treating him as one of their own? Did she really believe Hux would selflessly save a Hunter just to join them? It was so absurd, even Hux doubted it would work. Snoke had to know something to send him on this mission.

Three people stood in front of the training room, waiting for their arrival. Hux recognised one of them. It was Captain Antilles. Hux assumed the black guy standing on his left was Finn. They had nervous anticipation surrounding the air around them. A bit further from them stood Ben Solo, leaning against the wall, his arms folded over his chest, one foot against the wall. A few locks of dark hair were falling into his eyes. His gaze snapped to Hux as soon as he heard them approach and his glare was hateful. Hux resisted the urge to sneer. Oh, he was going to have so much fun carrying out his mission.

“Finally,” Ben scoffed and pushed away from the wall. “Let’s get this over with.”

He jerked the door open and disappeared, Finn and Wedge sending a meaningful look at Rey before following. Rey waved them off, mouthing everything was fine. There were two guns lying on the floor and Rey picked them up, handing one to Hux.

“They have five minutes before we go in,” she explained, inspecting her gun. Hux frowned at the weapon he was holding. He had never used one of these before. Rey stood beside him, raising her hands to show Hux how to hold it. He mimicked. “Just aim and pull the trigger. With your reflexes, it shouldn’t be difficult. You can also knock them out, but this way is far safer.”

Hux nodded, practicing his stance while Rey carried on with the plan. “I’m sure Ben will want to take you down. Watch your back, ‘cause he likes to sneak up on his enemies.” Now that was something Ben had in common with Hux. Hux liked to attack from the shadows, not because he couldn’t win a fight straight on, but because of the thrill of hunting. He liked to scare humans, showing he was not only stronger and smarter but also superior.

“Wedge will probably be guarding the flag. I’ll take care of him while you deal with Ben.”

“What about Finn?” Hux asked.

Rey was pleasantly surprised that Hux remembered his name. Hux knew it would have such an effect on her, so that was precisely the reason he did it. He had to show them he cared about them, that he didn’t believe he was above them. He knew he was, but he figured arrogance was something the Hunters, no, people, wouldn’t tolerate.

“You’ll take Finn down quickly so I can sneak away. Ben will be too focused on you. Can you handle them?” Hux raised one eyebrow meaningfully. Rey’s cheeks flushed a little. Of course he could, it was stupid to ask. “Don’t underestimate Ben though,” she warned, glancing at her watch. They still had half a minute left. She put on a pair of goggles for night-vision.

“I won’t,” Hux reassured her. He knew since the moment he set eyes on Ben that he would be a tough one. His eyes were burning with fierce hate, but there was something else, which Hux couldn’t quite name. Not yet.

Rey took a deep breath. “Ready?”

Hux nodded, lifting his paintball gun. Rey pushed the door open.

The pitch black room was filled with broken furniture, used car wheels, turned tables, and huge piles of branches to act as foxholes. Hux could detect Finn’s heartbeat, but he had to focus on Wedge’s. His heartbeat was rather faint; he probably got it under control. He was in the far end of the room, supposedly guarding the flag. What unnerved Hux slightly was that he couldn’t track Ben. He knew Hunters were trained to be able to hide their heartbeats, as it was the easiest way for vampires to find them, but he had never met anyone who was this good at it.

Hux beckoned Rey to fall back, then started to get to Finn. He suspected Ben would use Finn as bait. He heard a clicking sound and ducked behind a table. It was a mistake on Finn’s side. Hux knew exactly then where he was. He pulled the trigger when Finn’s head poked out from behind his shelter and he barely managed to avoid getting hit. Hux got to his feet and rushed there to catch him, but Finn was gone. There was movement coming from behind and Hux rolled to the side, the paint just barely missing him and splashing on the wall instead. He fired back halfheartedly, not finding the gun useful at all. The shots were coming from two directions now and Hux could see flashes of Ben as he was changing positions constantly. He glanced towards Rey, who was crawling close to the wall. Finn and Ben didn’t mind her, which was exactly the plan.

Hux got annoyed with his gun and he threw it at Finn’s direction, surprising him. A second later, Hux lunged forward, landing right in front of him and twisting the gun out of his hand, ready to shoot him. They started wrestling, Hux quickly gaining the upper hand. Ben fired at Hux’s back, but he saw it coming and turned around, using Finn as a shield which resulted in him getting shot in the stomach.

“Oh great.” Finn rolled his eyes but stayed put.

Good, now Hux could concentrate on Ben completely. He still didn’t show himself. Hux was standing still, his senses heightened. He checked on Rey, who was advancing slowly but steadily towards Wedge and the flag.

The gun clicked and Hux fell to the floor to avoid getting shot. The next moment Ben was at him, holding the gun to his chin, looking pleased. Hux used that split second to kick him off and jump on him, trying to take his gun away. Ben held it in an iron grip, firing at Hux with no success. Ben grappled with him fiercely, kicking and punching at him and giving Hux a hard time. He knew Ben was trying to make him snap, that’s why he had to be careful. Hux was aiming to hold him down, to disable him, but every time he managed to catch his arms, Ben twisted and slipped out of Hux’s grip. Ben managed to flip them over and he slammed Hux into the ground so hard the floor cracked. Hux snarled, his eyes starting to gleam red and he kicked Ben off, sending him flying back a few meters. He got to his feet, but Ben was firing at him again and one of the shots breezed his shoulder. Ben crashed into him, both of them falling onto the floor. He straddled Hux and pointed the gun at his heart, smirking in triumph.

“It’s over for you, vamp.”

Ben smirked, but then the lights turned on all of a sudden, blinding them all. His face fell and he looked around dumbly. Hux squinted and saw Wedge soaking with paint and Rey holding a blue flag, grinning at Hux.

“Guess we won.”

Hux grinned at Ben, who growled. He clearly considered shooting Hux just because, but decided against it and got off him. He refused to help Hux to his feet though.

“Good job, partner!” Hux called to Rey, whose grin grew wider.

She trotted to Hux, patting him on the back. “We’re a pretty good team.”

Ben rolled his eyes and walked out of the room. Wedge and Finn came to congratulate them on their victory. They seemed less uncomfortable now. Hux managed to give Finn a worried look.

“You okay?”

Finn looked startled for a second, but then he nodded, smiling. “I’ll live.” He extended his hand. Hux frowned a little, but shook it. Finn’s cheeks turned a little rosy then. “Thanks for saving Poe.”

Hux tilted his head. “He’s important to you.”

“Yeah, he’s my…boyfriend,” Finn admitted, his blush turning darker.

“He spoke your name when he was feverish.”

“Did he?”

Hux nodded sincerely. Finn grinned sheepishly.

“What you did for Poe, it was noble,” Wedge said, joining them and offering a hand.

Hux shook it more confidently this time. “I was only trying to do the right thing.”

Wedge smiled. “You certainly did.”

How could they be so easily deceived? Hux felt the tiniest pang of guilt for what he was about to do soon. These people were nice, but it didn’t matter. He had a mission and he’d rather die than betray his kind. They would die anyway, in a day, in a year, in a decade. It didn’t matter. They were just flashes in Hux’s eternal life.

*

Ben was so angry he could explode. He was angry at his mother for even considering allying with a vampire, at Rey because she was getting along with that vampire, at that certain vampire because he was annoying and surprisingly normal, but most of all he was angry at himself for losing the game. It was only a game, he knew, but he had always been rather competitive. To him, a game wasn’t _just_ a game. Ben had had him, he almost beat him. He was so focused on defeating the vampire that he forgot about Rey and trusted Wedge to handle her all alone. It was stupid, reckless, infuriating. Why did that vampire have to show up and mess up his life? It was already pretty messed up.

Ben didn’t even realize where he was heading until he got there. The garden. It was almost noon and the sun was shining brightly. He sighed and sat on the porch, letting the sun warm his heart and body. It felt nice. Peaceful. He felt so far away from everything and that was what he needed. Just a few minutes to forget about his duties, the war, and the bloody monster locked up underground.

He didn’t understand why everyone welcomed the vampire as an ally. Okay, so he saved Poe from interrogation, but how could they believe that he was telling the truth? In his whole life, Ben’s mother had taught him to be dutiful and responsible and now she would willingly sacrifice all their hard work because the vampire _might_ be their ally?

Ben suddenly groaned. “Fuck this.”

Next time, he would kick that stupid vampire’s ass. He wanted to prove to everyone that the Hunters were strong enough. They didn’t need help, especially not from the enemy.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta: [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> Also, there's [an aesthetic](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) made by [my best friend](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/)

The following two weeks passed with more or less the same routine. Hux’s sleeping pattern had been completely overthrown as he had to spend the days awake, only being able to rest at night. It was weird, but he got used to it rather quickly. It wasn’t like he could keep track of time locked underground with no windows. In the mornings, he was supposed to train and, after a few occasions, other Hunters joined. They were wary, some of them even hateful towards him, but once they saw how casual Rey and Finn behaved around him, they grew used to him. It was no secret they still didn’t trust Hux, but at least they were doing their best to conceal it. It amazed Hux in some wicked way.

Ben was still staring at him as if every Hunters’ death had been Hux’s fault. Well, that was obviously impossible and Hux didn’t like to take credit for things he didn’t do. He kept staring back at Ben, his gaze shifting from curious to a little smug.

Hux hated to pretend to be weak, but it was necessary. He even let Ben deliver a few extra punches from time to time, but he silently swore to break his hands once he was done with pretending.

Once they had enough participants, General Organa practically forced them to pair up against the rest of the Hunters, and Hux suspected it was Ben’s time to be tested. Hux simply shrugged, but Ben disagreed vehemently.

“Mother, you cannot make me team up with that monster!” he claimed, glaring at Hux in disgust.

“You are a Hunter. You follow orders,” was Organa’s sharp reply.

Ben didn’t say anything, but clearly he was planning to have a serious talk with his mother once the training was over.

“You better not get in my way,” he hissed at Hux, who glared back.

“Same goes for you.”

Ben looked surprised, to Hux’s enjoyment.

It turned out, much to their shock, that they made a pretty good team. They didn’t have a plan, they barely talked, but still they had some kind of mutual understanding about the other and their skills combined were deadly. Once they kicked everyone’s ass, Ben forgot about himself for a second and shared a triumphant grin with Hux. Then he caught himself and looked away, not meeting Hux’s eyes for the following two days. Hux was rather amused by that. Then, after the training, Hux would spend the early afternoons talking to General Organa, trying to give as much information as he deemed enough. As expected, the lair in Vienna had been abandoned by the time the Hunters got there, but they managed to retrieve a few half-burnt documents, which were the ones left behind on purpose. General Organa seemed pleased with that and though she still kept her distance, Hux knew she was starting to see him as an ally.

The late afternoons were reserved for Rey, who never failed to show up and bug him with endless questions. She had a huge book with several paintings and kept asking Hux to verify their authenticity. The accuracy of some of them were alarming, but Hux quickly found out that the Hunters had no clue whether they were real or just some imagined pictures of a foolish artist. Hux mostly denied or claimed he had no idea. The vampires on the paintings were often dead, so talking about them wouldn’t be a problem. Let the Hunters chase shadows from the past. There was one picture though, about a woman in a black evening dress that seemed familiar to Hux, though he couldn’t quite figure out who that was. It was bothering him since his memory was exceptional. Not that the Hunters needed to know that. After a bit of hesitation, he said no and they moved on.

*

Hux was lying on the dusty mattress, staring at the piece of paper Rey copied from a storybook and asked him to review. Although some details were over-exaggerated, there was an alarming amount of accuracy and Hux was trying to figure out which parts he should confirm. Not the part about shape-shifting for sure. From what he had gathered, the Hunters didn’t know if Purebloods were able to change for sure. That was a huge advantage and Hux didn’t plan to share that with Rey at all.

Hux idly wondered how long it would take Organa to let him go on a mission and if he would have a chance to get Ben. Playing ally was starting to get bothersome. He had to earn Ben’s trust, which wouldn’t be easy. He was adamant about his hate for Claude though that could be to Hux’s advantage later.

His plotting was interrupted by hasty footsteps against the cold concrete stairs and Hux sat up quickly, sensing it was not Organa or Rey, not even the guards. It was Ben Solo.

He was dressed in his Hunter gear, his quiver of arrows hanging loosely on his shoulder, his bow in hand. He looked determined, although Hux detected traces of nervousness under his cold demeanor. Interesting.

“We’re gonna train. Just the two of us,” he declared, opening the cell.

Hux tilted his head. “Am I correct to assume you don’t have permission?” His voice was laced with mocking amusement.

Ben rolled his eyes and threw the door wide open. “You coming, or are you too afraid I’ll hand your ass back to you?”

Hux growled much to Ben’s delight. He walked away, Hux trailing after him. Too bad his mission was to kidnap. Murder would have been easier and much more pleasurable. He did hope Snoke’s grand plan or whatever was going to work, otherwise all Hux’s efforts would be for nothing. And he hated to work uselessly.

“So, how do you plan to train, exactly?” Hux turned around to ask Ben, only to be punched in the face.

“Like this,” Ben sneered.

“You know I can’t hurt you for real. That’s very brave,” Hux teased, grabbing Ben’s hand and pushing him away.

“You don’t have to hold back on me.”

Hux frowned. “You think I’m stupid enough to believe that?” 

He knew Ben was trying to piss him off and even if he was succeeding, Hux didn’t forget about his mission. General Organa surely wouldn’t be happy if Hux beat the shit out of her precious son. However, if he only defended himself, Organa would have no other choice but to appreciate Hux’s behaviour. Hux had an opportunity to get out of his cell, all thanks to Ben.

“Just bring it on, _vamp_.”

Ben grabbed a small dagger and attacked Hux again, slashing at him mercilessly. Hux tried his best not to hurt Ben while trying to protect himself. He was well aware that a few cuts on him would make a better effect on Organa.

*

At last, Poe was allowed to leave the infirmary so Finn and Rey organised him a small party in his quarters. Rey managed to convince Jessika to show up, despite her first reply being “I’ve seen him enough lately”. She was not so successful with Ben though. He murmured something about bad experience and Poe’s low tolerance of alcohol. Rey tried to reason, but then glared at him angrily when he still refused.

“What a jerk,” Rey huffed on her way to Poe’s quarters. She didn’t understand why Ben couldn’t get over himself and just show up to show he was glad that Poe was alive. Because even though Ben tried his best to hide it, Rey knew he had been relieved when Poe returned, despite the circumstances. Ben cared a lot more about people than he let on.

Rey and Jessika were sitting on the floor, next to them being two bowls of snacks and a few bottles of wine and four paper cups.

“Thanks for coming,” she grinned at Jessika, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The door opened and they both shouted “surprise”, along with Finn, who was standing behind Poe.

“Oh my god!” Poe gasped then let out a hearty laugh, placing his hand over his heart in an overdramatic movement. “Guys, you shouldn’t have.” He was obviously pleased though.

“Actually, we just needed a reason to drink,” Jessika clarified, earning a playful slap on the shoulder from Rey.

“She doesn’t mean it.”

“Of course she does.” Poe grinned then sat down, dragging Finn along. He grabbed a bottle of red wine and poured all of them a drink, then raised his cup. “Cheers then!”

They all took a few sips.

“All right,” Finn announced excitedly and got to his feet. “I’ve got a surprise for y’all.” He walked to the wardrobe and after a little search pulled out a box. “Activity!”

Finn showed it to the others, who burst out laughing.

“No way!” Rey squealed happily, glancing at Jessika. “You’re totally with me.”

“Aren’t we a little old for playing board games?” Jessika frowned at Finn.

He looked scandalised. “This is the adult version.”

Jessika grinned. “In that case, brace yourselves ‘cause we’re gonna kick your asses!”

“Someone is very competitive, I see.” Poe teased then pouted. He then pointed at Finn. “Guess I’m left with this idiot.”

“I love you too.”

They spent the next hour howling with laughter and playfully arguing. Jessika kept scolding Rey for her unbelievably hideous drawing skills after drawing a giraffe which looked like a starved donkey. Finn complained about Poe being so wasted he was not able to put a proper sentence together and their time was up before he even got started.

Rey loved these almost normal moments in her life. There wasn’t many and she cherished every single one of them. She was able to forget—even if only temporarily—about the war and vampires and swords.

It was around half past eleven when Jessika announced she had enough of Poe and Finn boasting about their victory—which was absolutely annoying since they cheated, or so the girls claimed—and called it a night. Rey figured she should also leave Finn and Poe alone when they started making out. She didn’t have a problem with them kissing, but she didn’t want to catch a glimpse of their very private life. That was something she would never be ready for. She slightly stumbled back to her shared quarters with Ben, ready to complain a lot about losing the bloody game and Jessika leaving early. However, she found the place empty, something that didn’t promise anything good. She had a bad feeling about it and she sobered up immediately. She had a wild guess about where Ben had gone. Rey grabbed her gun and stormed out of the room, heading downstairs, and praying she was wrong.

Rey got to the training room just in time to see Ben letting an arrow loose at such speed she doubted Claude would be able to deflect it. She was wrong. Claude caught it in mid-air, giving Ben a look of “oh, please”. Ben grinned and at the next moment the head of the arrow exploded, burning Claude’s face and sending him reeling back, howling in pain.

Hux did not expect that and once the pain dulled he was ready to attack Ben for real, not caring about the consequences. He would teach this disgusting worm who the better fighter was.

“BEN, STOP!”

Hux stopped, glancing at Rey. On the other hand, Ben didn’t care. He jumped at Hux and kneed him in the stomach. Hux stumbled back, slashing at Ben angrily. Ben raised his dagger, but Hux blocked it, twisting the weapon out of Ben’s hand. Ben shouted in pain and pushed Hux away.

“Enough, stop it!” Rey screamed helplessly.

Rey didn’t dare to interfere. Hux turned to look at her, but it was a mistake. Ben used that moment to drive an arrow between Hux’s ribs. Hux snarled and sent Ben flying across the room.

“You bastard!”

Hux hissed as he pulled the arrow out, his wound bleeding through his T-shirt. His clothes were ripped in several places, fresh and dry blood painting it red. Ben was in a slightly similar state, his clothes torn and bloody, sweat beading on his forehead. Hux tried to tackle Ben, who rolled away in the last moment, so Hux fell to the empty floor, cracking the tiles. Ben grabbed him in an attempt to push him down, but Hux was stronger and pinned him down instead. Ben made a mirthless laugh and head-butted Hux. They both saw stars. Hux still had him on his back but his grip loosened a bit. He snarled, eyes glowing red, his fangs appearing.

For the first time, he saw real terror in Ben’s brown eyes and it made Hux catch himself. He was still technically sitting on Ben and holding him down, but he withdrew his fangs and his eyes returned to normal. He smirked.

“Not bad, for a human.”

Ben was about to open his mouth for a witty comeback when a voice cut through the air, sharp as Ben’s knife.

“Benjamin Solo!” It was General Organa. Ben visibly paled and pushed Hux off, scrambling to his feet. His mother was approaching like a hurricane, unstoppable and dangerous. Even Hux felt small for a split second. Behind her, Rey was struggling to keep up. Organa pointed a finger at Ben. “You have a lot of explaining to do!”

Her voice was alarmingly calm but a storm was dancing in her eyes. Ben was at a loss for words and he could only gape at his mother. Hux was surprised to hear his own voice.

“General Organa, if I may-”

“You may not!” Organa cut him off sternly. Hux didn’t say another word, not wanting to worsen his chances. Organa beckoned to Rey. “Please escort Claude back to his cell.”

Rey nodded and was about to move when Organa put a hand up to stop her. She had a second thought. “You know what, take him to your quarters and keep an eye on him.” Hux exchanged a startled look with Rey. Ben was about to oppose, but Organa snapped at him. “Don’t you dare.”

Rey grabbed Hux’s elbow and nudged him to move. Hux didn’t mind leaving the awkward situation. He felt kind of satisfied for Ben taking all the blame. The kid had to learn how to take responsibility for his stupidity. Better late than never.

Organa waited until Rey and Hux were far enough away when she started. Hux was only able to catch the beginning of her rant.

“I can’t believe you’re so irresponsible. What were you thinking? You could’ve gotten killed!”

“We were just training!” Ben claimed.

“It was not training! Even Rey was freaking out! I’m so disappointed in you. You need to learn discipline and I will…”

Her voice died out as they reached the top of the stairs. Hux took in as much of his surroundings as he could while Rey lead him along endless corridors. He saw the weapons room and another training room, but apart from those there was nothing important, just living quarters and closed doors without labels.

The Hunters’ headquarters was smaller than he had expected; the walls plain white and empty, not like the mansion in Transylvania where the walls were covered with expensive tapestries and the furniture was luxurious. They must be spending all their money on weapons and protection, those silver filled front walls alone must have cost a fortune. Hux suppressed a sneer.

“Here we are,” Rey announced when they stopped in front of a big metal door, the simple black plate reading Skywalker — Solo.

Rey opened it with a card, ushering Hux inside. The first thing Hux noticed was the lack of windows. They were still underground. Maybe he was wrong in assuming the size of the place.

Rey’s living quarter was rather spacious, definitely one of the better ones. Stepping inside, Hux immediately found himself in the lounge, two doors on either side leading probably to the bedrooms. There was a half-open door right on Hux’s left, hiding the bathroom. There was no kitchen and Hux concluded there must be a cafeteria or a huge kitchen somewhere else.

“Well, this is where we live,” Rey said as she closed the door. She seemed rather comfortable. She gestured at the navy blue sofa. “Go on, have a seat.” Hux glanced at his blood-soaked clothes. Rey slapped her forehead. “Darn, I’m so sorry. Let me get you some clothes.” She disappeared into one of the bedrooms, coming back soon and holding a black T-shirt and a pair of poison green jeans. She handed them to Hux, biting her lips. Hux tilted his head. “Actually, do you want to have a shower?” she asked slowly. “Do you even do such a thing?” If Hux wasn’t Hux, he would have laughed. Instead, he simply raised an eyebrow, staring at Rey as if she were stupid. She flushed before pointing at the bathroom door. “Right, sorry. Um, you can find a towel next to the sink.”

A few minutes later, Hux was standing under the shower head, hot water splashing against his cold skin. A shower was very much needed. The whole situation was so surreal. General Organa may have ordered Rey to bring Hux there, but she could change her mind at any given second. Hux doubted she would though. She wasn’t someone to make decisions on impulse.

His wounds had already healed but he had to scrub his skin in order to get rid of the dried blood. He was wondering how things would go from now, given that Ben had messed up. Hux gritted his teeth. Ben Solo, the annoying arrogant asshole who wouldn’t accept the fact that Hux was stronger.

Truth was, Hux was angry with himself. He had to get his emotions under control. Letting Ben provoke him into a real fight was a huge mistake and Hux wasn’t one to make mistakes. He would have caused serious injuries if it hadn’t been for Ben’s look. He had been scared, furious, embarrassed. And there was also something else, something strange, something resembling lust. An idea popped up in Hux’s head. True, Ben hated him, but his feelings were more complicated, Hux realized.

Oh this was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the delay! I'm dealing with personal issues but I will try to stick to frequent updates as much as I can. Keep giving feedback, it means a LOT! <3
> 
> This chapter was so much fun to write, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing! ;)


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-ing was once again done by the amazing [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> A/N: Things are starting to get interesting, so I added the Mystery tag. Also, you will get a glimpse of vampire history, let me know what you think ;)

Ben kept glaring at his mother all the while she was giving him a lecture about how reckless and stupid he was. If Rey hadn’t called Leia to interfere, Ben could have defeated Claude and wiped that annoying smirk off his ugly face. _‘He almost killed you,’_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind and no matter how much Ben tried to ignore it, he knew it was true. It was irritating.

What was also irritating was that his mother was right. He was reckless and stupid and he had no excuse whatsoever. He just wanted to show Claude he was stronger. It was childish, Ben was very well aware, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t stand Claude and he had wanted to prove to everyone that they didn’t need his help. And now Ben was the one who showed them just how much they needed his help. Oh the irony.

Bullying Claude into a fight was dangerous and thoughtless and it was only sheer luck that Ben survived. He knew the exact moment he succeeded in provoking Claude. Those red eyes and sharp fangs, the face of a bloodthirsty demon would haunt Ben forever. For a split second, he knew it was the end; that Claude would rip his throat out effortlessly. What was more terrifying was that for a fracture of second, Ben wanted him to do it. He almost let him do it. He had no idea what snapped Claude out of it, but Ben was lucky it happened.

“Ben, you’re my son and I love you, but you’ve gone too far this time. You must get your emotions under control. As a leader, you’re entitled to set a good example.” Leia sighed and placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder, her eyes softening. Ben’s heart sank because he knew what was coming and he didn’t want to hear it. “I know it’s been hard ever since your father left but-”

“It’s not because of him,” Ben snarled. Hurt crossed Leia’s eyes. Ben had the decency to feel bad about it. Han Solo was a sensitive topic for both of them, something they still had in common. It was oddly comforting. Ben continued, going for a gentler tone. “It’s not about him. I just don’t want that vamp around here. It’s not safe.”

“I know. But you must understand that he can be a strong ally and I can’t let you ruin that.”

Ben clenched his fists. “I know.”

His mother seemed content with that answer. She had long given up expecting an apology; this was as close as Ben would get to one.

“From now on, you and Rey are in charge of keeping an eye on him. You will report anything suspicious.”

Ben gaped. “you can’t be serious. You want that-that _monster_ to live with us?!” His voice was higher than he would have liked. This was crazy.

“If he’s an ally, I can’t keep him locked up forever. And I certainly won’t give him private quarters.”

“But mother-”

Leia held up a hand. “Enough. You say he can’t be trusted. Give me proof and I’ll have him killed. Until then, you’ll do as you’re told.”

Ben clenched his teeth and nodded sharply before storming out of the training room, fuming. This had to be a joke. It was already insane enough to let the vampire live, but now Ben had to live _with_ him? And Leia even put Rey at risk, Rey, who acted like the vampire was her friend. Ben felt like being locked up in a mental asylum, him being the only normal one. He didn’t want it, he would not be able to tolerate that bloodsucker. He hated him. He loathed him.

_‘Do you now?’_ that strange voice whispered again.

Claude was the enemy. He was a vampire, a killer, a monster. He almost killed Ben. Those red eyes of his promised quick yet painful death. They saw right into Ben’s heart, knowing his heart’s deepest secrets and his worst fears. He had the ability to make either of them come true. Those glowing, evil eyes were…

_‘Kind of hot,’_ his brain supplied helpfully.

Ben wanted to bang his head against the nearest sturdiest object. That was definitely not the word he was looking for. Claude was a creature of the darkness, cruel and sly and Ben would be a fool to let those handsome features deceive him.

He really did have to get his emotions under control.

*

Hux came out of the shower feeling refreshed. He dressed in clean clothes and took a good look at himself in the mirror before leaving. His hair was nearly long enough to touch his shoulders and his facial hair had grown quite a bit, too. Normally, he wouldn’t let it grow so much, but he figured it was better suiting his current role. He grabbed his dirty clothes and tossed them in a bin, then wrapped the towel around his neck, drying his wet hair. Rey’s eyes snapped to him when he walked out of the bathroom. She was sitting on the sofa, her laptop in her lap and she was chewing on a Twix bar.

Hux approached Rey. The whole situation was oddly normal, as if Hux were a part of their life and this would be their everyday routine. “May I sit?”

She gave him a crooked smile. “Yeah, sure.” She moved a bit, biting her lip before adding, “You wanna watch a TV show with me?”

Hux was startled. He knew what TV shows were, he hadn’t been raised in a cave, but he had never seen one. Curiosity took the better of him and he nodded uncertainly. He was allowed to have some fun after all, he reasoned.

“It’s my favourite. It’s called How I Met Your Mother.” Rey’s face lit up as she was typing eagerly. “I love it, so funny and all.”

She pressed play and turned the screen a bit so Hux could have a better look. He was staring at it with a frown, but soon he found himself enjoying the stupid story. It was new and despite being a traditional vampire, Hux liked to keep up with the world. Not that he would openly admit it.

“See, this is Ted, a hopeless romantic,” Rey pointed at the screen, speaking in a hushed tone. “Adorable, but sometimes a bit annoying.”

“Mmm.”

“And that’s Barney, he’s hot, isn’t he?” She giggled, earning a raised eyebrow from Hux. She coughed, trying to tone her excitement down. “He’s a real womanizer, but I like his character.”

“Is he your type?” Hux asked teasingly.

“Kind of, yeah.” Rey admitted, blushing a bit. “My real crush is actually—” Rey waited a bit, then grinned happily when a brunette appeared. “—Her, she’s Robin.”

Hux knew he was expected to say something nice since Rey considered him a friend, so he said, “She’s pretty.”

It worked. Rey looked at him like a kid who had just been told that they would celebrate Christmas twice a year. A huge smile spread across her soft features. “You really think so?”

Rey looked surprised, but in a good way. She thought Hux really was becoming her friend. Apparently, Hux lived to disappoint.

“Yes, absolutely. Though I’m not sure if my opinion-”

The door flew open and they both snapped their heads towards it.

“Oh, this is great. Are we playing roommates now?!” Ben exclaimed , shutting the door closed.

“Welcome back,” Rey said mockingly.

Ben sent her a glare, ignoring Hux for now. “You watching movies together? Is this a bloody dorm room?”

Rey rolled her eyes and paused the video. “It’s a TV show, I’ll let you know.”

Hux saw a playful glint in Rey’s eyes. She was obviously enjoying adding fuel to the fire.

“Whatever.”

“It’s a good way to relax, strongly recommended.”

Hux suppressed a grin, but he made sure his eyes spoke his thoughts instead. Finally, Ben’s gaze met his, but only for a bare moment. He gave him a look from head to toe, then his eyes darkened. He pointed a finger at Rey accusingly.

“You gave him my clothes?!” It was not a shriek, but something very similar to it.

“Seriously?!” Rey pushed the laptop into Hux’s lap so hard, Hux nearly dropped it in surprise. She sprang to her feet and approached Ben angrily, hands on her hips. “You forced him to fight you and then soaked his clothes in blood. Lending clothes is the least you should do!”

“The least…” Ben repeated with disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

“Me? What is wrong with _you_?! Claude gave you no reason to hate him.”

This was unnatural. Rey was defending Hux from Ben? A vampire would never confront another just to protect a human. Again, no wonder the Hunters were losing the war.

“He’s a vampire, isn’t that enough?”

“Jesus, Ben, how can you be such a child?” Rey yelled, poking him in his chest. “He was a human once, just like us. It’s not his fault he was turned!”

Actually, Hux wouldn’t know since he was born a vampire.

“If he rips out my throat while I sleep I’ll come back to haunt you!” Ben hissed, then stormed into his room, slamming the door shut.

Rey huffed, annoyed, staring after Ben for a bit before turning back to Hux. She was smiling apologetically. It was scary how fast her facial expressions switched.

“Sorry.”

It took Hux a few seconds to reply. “No need, I understand. I’m still the enemy.”

“No, you’re not,” Rey claimed. “You didn’t hurt us.”

“I’ve hurt a lot of people.”

“But you’ve made a choice. You want to change. Everyone deserves a second chance.” Christ, did people really believe that bullshit? Rey continued, speaking quietly. “This war is all because vampires refuse to negotiate. If there were more like you, we may have avoided the bloodshed.”

Rey better not wish for more vampires like Hux.

Hux held her sad gaze, mustering up as much empathy as he was able to, trying his best to appear affected by her words. Maybe she was right. The war could have been evitable if Snoke hadn’t insisted on world domination. However, Hux didn’t dwell on it too much, he was on the winning side anyway, why should he care about the prey?

Hux beckoned his head at the laptop, trying to change the topic. Also, he knew it would drive Ben crazy, seeing him and Rey getting along well.

“Are there more pretty girls in that show?”

Rey let out a small laugh, then nodded. She took the gadget from Hux and pressed play, leaning back on the sofa.

Hux wondered how someone as smart as Rey could be so naïve to believe vampires weren’t monsters.

Hux spent the night lying on the couch, slipping in and out of sleep. He finally managed to fall asleep for good around dawn, but his peace didn’t last long. It was only seven in the morning when Ben’s door flew open loudly and he switched all the lights on. Hux didn’t move a muscle, knowing it would only annoy Ben further.

Ben padded into the bathroom and shut the door, only to reappear after half an hour, freshly showered, his black curls dripping water. By that time, Hux was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a heavy codex Rey left for him. His gaze went to Ben, who snapped at him immediately.

“Stop staring!” he said sharply.

Hux tilted his head, amused. “Good morning to you, too.”

Ben looked scandalised and was about to reply or leap forward and try to strangle Hux when Rey’s door opened and she walked into the lounge sleepily, wearing a pink top and grey sweatpants. Ben changed his mind, sent Hux a death glare, and then retreated to his bedroom.

“See you’re getting along.” Rey yawned and sat at the dining table, leaning or her elbow. “I was thinking…” she started, glancing at Hux, “we should spend today reading. After training, of course,” she added hastily. “I’ve got this book about vampire families and I have no idea if it’s accurate or not.”

Hux considered his reply. “I’ll try to help, but Purebloods don’t exactly educate us on vampire history.”

Rey waved him off with a smile. “’Tis fine, I know you’re doing everything you can.”

Her optimism and unwavering faith was a shot right to Hux’s cold heart. _‘Sympathy?’_ a little voice asked in his mind teasingly, one that he’d been trying to shut out for a while. _‘Not even close,’_ he thought sharply, ignoring how weak it rang.

For the first time, Ben didn’t attend the training and Hux had ambivalent feelings about it. It was both a relief and a nuisance. For once, he had the chance to make the others like him without Ben shooting nasty looks at them. It was surprisingly refreshing and Hux found several Hunters finding their courage to talk to him now that Ben wasn’t glaring. On the other hand, Hux didn’t have time to mingle with these pathetic losers. His mission was Ben and though it was absolutely essential to earn the Hunters’ trust, Hux liked to keep things simple. Get Ben alone and then make his move; that was his plan and this endless small talk and tests and other good for nothing activities were starting to get on his nerves.

Hux spent the rest of the day with Rey, going through pictures and short stories. The amount of accurate information the Hunters had at their disposal was alarming, but since they had no idea whether they were true or not, Hux had the loophole to modify as much as he could. There was a picture of a beautiful woman wearing a snow white dress, lying on an expensive sofa, her long brown hair spread wide on the plush cushions. She looked worried, even sad, though Hux had no idea how he was able to tell. He wasn’t much for art. Under the picture was the title: _Palpatine’s Secret Love_.

It was weird. Hux didn’t know Palpatine, he had been long dead when Hux was born, but he heard enough stories. Palpatine used to turn Hunters into vampires and the Royals eventually had enough of his games. A lot of Hunters died, and those who were lucky enough to survive got slaughtered when the Royals overthrew Palpatine. His closest relative was Snoke, who wanted to exile Palpatine, but the Royals wouldn’t hear of it. They demanded Palpatine’s head, so Snoke had no choice but to kill him and burn his body. As far as he knew, Palpatine wasn’t sentimental and Hux doubted he’d keep a secret lover. He was the empire—he could have anyone and anything he desired, why keep someone a secret? The woman was no doubt a vampire, a Pureblood, judging by her stunning look and careless pose.

Artists truly had a dramatic way to tell stories.

Still, the woman looked familiar, as if Hux had known her, which was impossible.

“Claude, what is it?” Rey’s voice snapped him back to reality and he frowned at her, shaking his head.

“Sorry, I just, she reminds me of someone.” He shrugged. “I don’t know her, sorry.” It was probably his most honest sentence since he got there.

“It’s okay.” Rey smiled softly, flipping to the other page. “What about him?”

It was a painting of a man in dark clothes, holding a knife in one hand and a human’s heart in the other, his eyes of a madman. There was no harm in telling the truth about this one, Hux decided.

“Lord Maul, the most vengeful, bloodthirsty general in the history of vampires. I’ve never met him, he had been executed, but I know a few who did.”

“He’s been executed?” Rey looked surprised. Hux nodded. “I thought he would be…” She bit her lower lip. “Celebrated.”

“Don’t forget, it was before the war. Vampires were trying to keep a low profile and he was a threat in the eye of the leaders. He was disobedient, no one could control him.”

“Uh-huh.” Rey nodded thoughtfully. “So bloodthirst is not a problem as long as it can be controlled.”

“In the eye of the leaders, yes,” Hux agreed, but added, “Roughly.”

“It’s horrible.”

Hux decided not to comment on it. Rey would never understand their ways.

That night, when Hux closed his eyes, the woman in the white dress appeared. She was standing in the room, looking at Hux with bitter green eyes. The scene changed and they were outside, under the starry sky. She looked like a ghost in that long dress. She looked like she was floating as she approached Hux. She reached for him, but she wasn’t close enough. Hux felt a pang of sadness and he tried to grab her hand, but he was touching the air. The woman whispered, “It’s okay, sweetheart.”

Hux jerked awake, glancing around scared. It was half past midnight and he could feel Rey and Ben sleeping in their rooms. He was still in the Hunters’ base, in Rey and Ben’s shared quarters. Safe, for now.

He didn’t know why that silly dream affected him so much, so he chose not to dwell on it. He had enough on his plate already and a sorrowful woman haunting his dreams was something he had no time or energy to think about.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Rating has gone up! Things are getting excited at last. *winks* This chapter was a lot of fun to write. Also, thanks for everyone who has left kudos or commented on the story so far, keep up the good work!
> 
> Beta-ed - as usual - by the one and only [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

The next few days passed quickly and Hux was relieved to be around the Hunters more often. They started to lower their guard as they slowly grew accustomed to him, which meant they let more information slip and Hux got to see more parts of the base, creating a layout of the place in his mind. It would surely come in handy in the near future.

Ben was still annoyed by his presence, but Hux couldn’t shake the feeling there was much more to his angry stare. He was planning to uncover that mystery soon. Living with him made things easier and though Ben didn’t talk much, he sometimes came out of his room to watch Hux and Rey talk. At first, Rey barked at him to stop staring because it was annoying, to which Ben simply replied it was his duty to supervise. Hux made sure Ben saw him grin before turning back to the map they were examining with Rey.

However, time was of the essence and Rey being around all the time made things hard for Hux. He knew Rey’s trust was important for his mission to be successful, but he also had to make Ben trust him as well. Not to mention General Organa. Luckily, Rey had to leave for some kind of meeting and Hux was left to Ben to watch over him. Ben clearly wasn’t very happy about that decision, but he kept his grumbling to the minimum.

“I ain’t watching a movie with you,” he declared as soon as Rey left the room.

Hux grinned at him mischievously. “You’d rather train again?”

“You wish,” Ben snapped. It was odd he would look at anything, but Hux. He was leaning against the wall, trying to control his nervousness. Hux noticed he never sat when Hux was around. Wise choice, but it would not make much difference if Hux had decided to attack.

“You’re a pretty good Hunter,” Hux said out of the blue, wanting Ben to look at him.

Hux knew hypnosis wouldn’t work on someone as strong-willed as Ben, but he could read his eyes well enough. Ben kept staring at the floor stubbornly, taking a huge interest in the pattern of the wood. He didn’t notice when Hux got up and walked to him until he was standing right in front of him. He jumped slightly but at last he looked at Hux defiantly.

“What?”

Hux sneered and put his hands on the wall, trapping Ben. “I know you don’t hate me.”

Ben frowned and pushed Hux’s hand away. “Get away from me.”

Hux twisted his hand and pushed Ben back against the wall, moving closer. The panic flashing in Ben’s brown eyes made his sneer wider. “You can’t hide it from me. I can sense it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ben laughed nervously, struggling to break free.

“I think you do,” Hux whispered into Ben’s ear, his tone sending a shiver up Ben’s spine. “You think I wouldn’t notice the way you look at me?”

Ben gulped. There was no point in denying. And worst of all, he didn’t want to deny it. He had no idea when he was knocked off his path but something went very wrong between taking Claude prisoner and this moment. Ben didn’t like him, he still hated his kind, but he was not so sure anymore that he hated Claude. And he felt something towards him, some sort of odd attraction for some crazy, unexplainable reason, and Claude knew it. Ben wanted to wipe that smug smirk off his face.

“You know it’s wrong and you want it even more.” Ben was barely able to swallow a small moan. He knew Claude couldn’t read his mind, but he spoke like he knew every hidden desire in the corner of his apparently sick soul. Hux knew his senses were right, but he didn’t expect Ben to give in so easily. He was a bit disappointed, but he was still having too much fun to stop. “You crave it,” Hux went on and pressed his cold body closer, a sharp contrast to Ben’s burning flesh. Ben trembled, but didn’t struggle anymore. He was completely numb, trying to control his rapidly beating heart. This was not supposed to happen. “Your breath is shaky,” Hux dragged his thumb over Ben’s lips, causing his breathe to hitch, “your knees are weak,” Hux pushed his own knee against Ben’s, “Your heart is beating so fast…”

Hux placed his hand over it and Ben gasped involuntarily. Ben didn’t know which was worse, that he wanted Claude or that Claude wanted him. It was so wrong on so many levels and yet he couldn’t stop Claude. He didn’t want to stop him. Ben shut his eyes when Hux spoke into his ear again.

“You want the _thrill_ , don’t you?”

“Ah, yes,” Ben moaned, his hands grabbing at Hux’s shoulder blades for support.

Hux’s cold breath close to his neck drew him insane. He knew it wouldn’t take Claude a second to sink his fangs into his hot skin and be done with him. It shouldn’t turn Ben on.

Hux pushed his knee between Ben’s legs, drawing a strangled cry from the Hunter. He moved his hand from Ben’s heart across his abdomen, down to his manhood, and cupped Ben through his jeans, moving his fingers tortuously slow.

“I want the thrill, too,” he admitted while stroking Ben, pulling beautiful sounds from him. “I want to know how you sound,” Hux licked Ben’s earlobe and he moaned loudly, “I want to hear you scream my name in pleasure.” Ben’s grip tightened and he trembled, pressing his erection into Hux’s hand hard. Hux smirked. Oh, how he was going to enjoy taking Ben apart before betraying him. Humans were weak, but so much fun. “Would you scream my name?” Hux rasped.

Ben let out another strangled cry. His pleasure was reaching its edge rapidly and his brain wasn’t functioning properly anymore. All he knew was Claude, all he wanted was Claude to slide his hands into his pants and jerk him off, and he would do anything for him, god help him, he would.

“I should-shouldn’t,” Ben panted, his head resting on Hux’s shoulder. “But I would. I want to, please.”

Hux picked up the pace, but was still only touching Ben through his clothes. He knew it was driving Ben crazy and that was the exact reason why he was doing it.

“What else do you want?” Hux teased. He knew a little game wouldn’t hurt since Ben was far too gone to care.

“I-I want you to-to touch me,” Ben mumbled into his shoulder.

“Aren’t you a naughty boy, wanting things you shouldn’t?” Ben trembled again, pushing his lower parts right into Hux’s hand while trying to contain his lovely moans. He nodded, not trusting his voice anymore. “If you come, I’ll touch you next time,” Hux whispered lustfully. “I’d fuck you and you’d beg for more.” Ben’s heart was pounding hard against his rib cage, a wonderful symphony to Hux’s ears. “I’d make you lose your mind and you’d scream my name from the top of your lungs.”

Ben’s grip got painfully tight as his climax hit him hard. He barely managed to keep standing. He tensed against Hux and muffled his cry as best as he could. He was holding onto Hux, panting as he was coming down from his high and that was when realization hit him. He quickly pushed Hux away, horrified, staring at him accusingly, his body trembling as he lost Hux’s support.

“Shit, fuck, what-? Did you do something?”

Hux folded his arms over his chest, giving him a knowing look. “We both know my magic doesn’t work on you,” he grinned, pleased when Ben paled.

“Oh my god, I can’t fucking believe it! If you tell this to-to anyone, I swear to god-!”

“And miss my chance for another round?” Hux raised one eyebrow.

Ben blushed as he snapped, “there won’t be another time!”

“Hm, if you say so…” Hux left the sentence hanging between them, and then glanced down at Ben meaningfully. “You should get changed.”

Ben’s face turned an even darker shade of red and he deemed it best to storm into his bedroom. He shut the door loudly, cursing every god he knew in his mind. He was afraid Claude might hear him swearing under his breath. How could he fuck up so majorly? This was not supposed to happen. He was not supposed to find Claude attractive at all and he was most definitely not supposed to let Claude give him a hand-job, a pretty good one if Ben wanted to be honest with himself.

Ben’s blood started to boil at the memory of Claude talking about fucking him, which was not helping. He got rid of his clothes hastily, feeling dirty. This was exactly what he promised, not to be reckless, irresponsible, and stupid. And yet he managed to do all three at once. It had to be a new record.

Ben shrugged a clean T-shirt over his shoulders and was stumbling into a pair of black jeans when he heard the front door opening. Now all he needed was Claude to sneak out. He rushed to the door and opened it forcefully, ready to fight Claude.

He found Claude lying on the sofa, flipping through one of Rey’s girly magazines uninterested, acting perfectly normal as if he hadn’t just jerked Ben off. Asshole. On the other hand, Rey was staring at him, stunned, from the doorway.

“What is it?” he barked at her.

She frowned, confused. “No, what is it? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’m fine.” Ben waved her off. “How was the meeting?”

Rey’s face lit up, which didn’t promise anything good. She walked into the middle of the room, keeping a straight face but then she squealed excitedly.

“Guys, we’re going on a mission!”

“Wait, how do you mean ‘guys’?”

Rey looked at Ben as if he was crazy. “You, Claude, and I. And others of course.”

Ben pointed at Claude, who smirked at him. “They want to send him on a mission?”

“What? Are you worried about getting myself killed?”

Ben gaped at Claude and Rey let out an amazed laugh, looking at him proudly. “He’s learning fast.”

“You know what? Fuck you both!”

Ben hated life.

*

Hux hadn’t really planned on sharing the exact location of the base in Budapest, but since the vampires working there were doing a lame ass job, he figured it wouldn’t hurt. He did everyone a favour. The Hunters were happy with the information and Hux wouldn’t have to deal with them personally. Of course, back then, he had no idea they would let him go to _that_ mission. He just hoped there would be no Purebloods at the time of the attack. He wasn’t overly fond of the idea of killing his own, but maintaining his cover was more important. He didn’t care much about the Turned, but dealing with a Pureblood would be risky.

Ben was avoiding him, which wasn’t new, but Hux hoped the Hunters didn’t realize Ben was blushing near Hux. The kid had to get his emotions under control or he would put Hux in a very difficult situation. Hux was fairly sure General Organa wouldn’t take well with him seducing her only son.

The mission was plain and simple: get in and kill everyone, no prisoners. That last part wasn’t necessary, since a vampire would fight to the death. It was very rare for the Hunters to manage to capture a vampire alive. A vampire would rather put a stake through their own heart than to bear the shame of captivity.

Hux was part of the first team, whose orders were to go in and do the dirty job. The second team was technically a back-up, waiting at the possible exits to kill anyone who tried to escape. Ben, Rey, and a handful of other Hunters, whose names Hux didn’t care to remember, were part of the first team.  Wedge was the only name Hux knew from the second team.

The vampire’s hideout was in an abandoned subway garage deep in the heart of a hill, where there were many catacombs to disappear into. It was dark, probably around midnight. General Organa thought if they attacked during the day the vampires would surely flee through the channels. They would be reckless and come to the surface because they thought they had the upper hand. Well, it was partly true. Not many Hunters would stand a chance against a Pureblood at night, but assuming there were only Turned in the base, the Hunters had a slight chance of winning. Even Hux had to admit it. It was a great place to hide, but not good for defending. The Hunters had the element of surprise. The fight didn’t last long. The vampires were startled and didn’t have time for any organised counter-attacks. They were easy targets.

Rey and the other Hunters were shooting at the scattered vampires mercilessly while Ben chased after a few others running away.

“Go, we can handle this!” Rey shouted.

Hux followed after Ben without hesitation. He wanted to keep an eye on him.

They turned at the corner and halted, Ben looking around cautiously. Hux stood right behind him, focusing. They only took a few careful steps before they were surrounded by three vampires, two jumping at Hux immediately, shouting, “traitor!” while the other one went for Ben.

Hux struggled to fight his attackers off, being very careful about how much of his true strength ~~to~~ he revealed. One managed to tear open the flesh on his back, while Hux drove his claws into the other’s cold heart. He pulled his hand back and the vampire dropped dead. Hux whirled around and snarled while lurching forward, pushing the remaining vampire to the ground. They started wrestling, claws slashing at each other, fangs out in an attempt to rip out each others’ throat. They both moved faster than the human eye could catch.

Not far away, Ben screamed in pain and fell to one knee as the vampire struck him. Hux only had enough time to kick his attacker off and rush to Ben, pulling the vampire off and throwing him into the wall. He stood between Ben and his own kind, not quite knowing why he was acting so protective. Ben was his mission, he was for Snoke and no one else, Hux reminded himself.

“You pathetic traitor. Being the humans’ pet. Disgusting!” a vampire with a blood-covered face spat.

“And yet we’re gonna win,” Hux sneered.

The next moment, the two Turned attacked at once. Hux grabbed two of Ben’s arrows and slashed at them, knowing they would do more damage than his claws. He got one in the head but the other pushed the arrow aside and bit down hard on Hux’s exposed hand. Hux growled and for a second his eyes flashed crimson. He relished in the terror he saw in the eyes of the Turned. Before he could say a word, Hux punched him in the gut. Except he didn’t just punch him; he left a hole. The vampire made a gurgling sound and fell back, never moving again.

Hux glanced at Ben, who was lying unconscious on the floor, but Hux could feel that his life force was steady. Rey and the other Hunters were still fighting, but Hux could tell they were winning. He was about to pick Ben up when he realized someone was watching them. A black widow crawled on the ceiling, her eyes unnaturally bright.

_“Captain Phasma,”_ Hux greeted her through telepathy, not wanting to risk to be overheard.

_“General Hux, the Supreme Leader is growing restless,”_ Phasma said as a matter of fact.

_“He’ll get what he wants. I just need some more time.”_

Hux knelt beside Ben to check his pulse, a rather unnecessary thing to do. He didn’t want to look at Phasma since he wasn’t able to come up with a better excuse. Phasma must have suspected it, but didn’t comment on it.

_“Don’t make him wait too long.”_

It wasn’t a threat but clearly a warning. Hux nodded and Phasma walked away.

Hux felt a pang of nervousness hit him in the chest. Snoke was having second thoughts about his ability and that was something he couldn’t allow. He knew Phasma would cover him as long as possible, but Hux knew that was only temporary. He had to kidnap Ben now, and make a run for it. He had to-

“Fuck, it hurts,” Ben groaned and struggled to sit up. His nose was bleeding and there was a wide ugly slash on his left shoulder, his black tee torn and bloody.

Hux forgot his urge to get Ben and flee, and asked, “are you okay?”

Ben nodded, huffing. Hux extended a hand and to his surprise Ben took it. He pulled Ben up and straightened him when he swayed.

“Guess I don’t need to ask you.”

Hux smiled. “I’ll live.”

There was a rush of footsteps and Rey appeared ~~in~~ at the end of the tunnel, covered in blood and dirt, limping a bit, but otherwise looking fine. She looked worried for both of them.

“Everyone all right?”

Ben gave her a thumbs up and a weak smile. He then stumbled and fell against Hux, who caught him awkwardly. Apparently Ben was too gone to realize who he was leaning into.

“He’ll be fine,” Hux assured Rey. “I think he has a mild concussion though.”

She nodded and gestured everyone to leave. Hux was more than surprised that Ben was letting him lead the way. Why was Ben leaning into him when he was wounded? Hux should be the last person Ben counted on and yet… Humans were full of mystery.

*

They dropped Ben and two other injured Hunters off at the infirmary before Hux followed Rey to Organa’s study to report. It was brief and Rey did most of the talking, thankfully. Then Organa told them they would go over the details later, so for now they should go clean themselves up and get some sleep. Rey seemed relieved. Hux didn’t really care. He had received some bad injuries himself, but most of those had already healed. Still, Rey insisted on him having a shower and changing clothes, so he, quoting, “wouldn’t bleed all over the pretty carpet.”

Hux didn’t oppose, he felt dirty and a good shower always helped him clear his mind a little. He made it quick, though, knowing Rey was more tired and she was waiting for Hux to finish. Hux didn’t know why he cared about either Rey or Ben.

He laid down on the sofa, which had been functioning as his bed since he moved from the cell, but didn’t expect to fall asleep this fast, let alone into a dream.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta-ed by the lovely [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> A/N: I'm really sorry for the delayed update guys, I've been to the countryside with very sloppy Internet connection. Next chapter may take some time as well, because I'm going back. It's actually rather nice to get away from the busy city, without Net there's not much distraction and that way I can finally get some writing done ;)

_It was the brown-haired woman again. She was wearing a blood red gown, her shoulders bare. It was dark outside, probably around one in the morning, but Hux could see her clearly. She was sitting under an apple tree, staring at the starry sky. A huge owl landed on one of the lower branches and she smiled as the bird hooted, then she turned to Hux._

_“See? I promised he’ll be back.”_

_She tried to take Hux’s hand, but he jerked away, staring at the Eurasian eagle owl. He had no idea how he knew what kind of owl it was._

_“Don’t you recognise him?” she asked gently, her smile comforting. Hux shook his head. He wasn’t afraid, but he didn’t understand why the woman was talking to an owl, as if it was a… person. The realization hit him like a crashing wave. The woman looked proud and let out a short laugh. “That’s right, sweetheart, no need to be afraid of your dad.”_

_The scene changed and Hux found himself standing in darkness. He looked around several times, trying to see something, anything, but everything was pitch black._

_“Hello?” he asked in a firm tone, but the only reply he got was his echo. He tried to step forward, assuming he was in a cave, but he couldn’t move his legs. He stumbled and fell back, landing on his bottom ungracefully. “Darn!” he swore, trying to get up uselessly. Suddenly, he saw a figure in the far end of the darkness, a child. He couldn’t be older than six years and had ginger hair. Hux frowned. “You!” he called, unable to move. “Who are you?”_

_There was no reply. He tried to reach for the child, but he was too far away. Hux felt helpless and frustrated. He struggled to stand up but something was gluing him to the ground._

Hux bolted awake at the sound of Rey closing her bedroom’s door. “What a weird dream,” he mused before falling back asleep, this time to a dreamless one.

*

Ben was allowed to leave the infirmary late in the afternoon, though he suspected it was more because of his endless grumbling than his actual well-being. Truth was, despite fuming about having to stay, he was actually glad. He needed some time away from Claude. Especially after _that_ incident. Ben’s skin was on fire just thinking of it. It was horrible.

Ben had done so well of forcing his feelings down and concealing his interest with blatant hate, but apparently that could only work so far. He didn’t know why his brain insisted on drawing his thoughts constantly to Claude and making Ben attracted to the vampire. He was handsome, Ben had to admit. And he was actually smart, witty. He saved Poe’s life. Rey liked him, which wasn’t a surprise because she liked almost everyone, but still. Claude radiated power and danger. Ben had a thing for danger. And he did save Ben’s life.

_‘It’s just curiosity,’_ Ben kept repeating in his mind. _‘An act of rebellion against my parents.’_

He was just using Claude. It was purely physical, and of course, a one-time thing. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. His plan could have worked if Rey didn’t show up and announce she was throwing a party to celebrate Claude’s first mission. She had to find a hobby instead of organising small gatherings, which all turned into drinking nights. Ben was trying to come up with an excuse, but Rey was having none of it.

“You have no reason to hate Claude! He saved Poe’s life, he saved yours. What else do you want?!”

Ben then had no choice but to bow his head, embarrassed, and begrudgingly agreed to show up. Rey looked so serious he didn’t dare to risk skipping it. And that’s how his iron determination of keeping his distance from Claude failed grandly.

*

These humans never ceased to amaze Hux. When Rey shared her plan with him, he tried to oppose but it was frankly impossible to talk her out of it. She insisted there will only be a few people and that Hux would like it and it would make him feel like part of the team. It was really nice and thoughtful of Rey, except Hux didn’t want to be part of the team for real. He wouldn’t even be there for too long, not when he had such pressing matters. He swore to kidnap Ben and he intended to make his move the next time they went on a mission, even if he had to kill the rest of the team. Phasma was right, he was taking too long. He couldn’t afford getting suspicious, let alone getting attached. He was already blending in too much.

It was weird to see the Hunters treat him as truly one of their own. Hux would never understand.

Finn and Poe were the first to show up, and Poe actually shook Hux’s hand, thanking Hux for saving his life. Finn had already thanked him a hundred times and never failed to bring it up, given the chance. Rey was smiling at him proudly, like a mother at her son’s graduation from elementary school.  She also introduced him to a young woman named Jessika. Jessika was wary at first, but she eased up surprisingly quickly. Hux couldn’t miss the affection in Rey’s eyes when she looked at Jessika and Jessika wasn’t listless to Rey either. Even Wedge dropped by to congratulate on Hux’s first mission.

And then there was Ben, leaning against the wall as usual, nursing a glass of whiskey. It was probably his third one. When Rey and Poe got into a vehement debate over some movie called The Hunger Games, Hux slipped away to Ben, who was doing his best to ignore him.

“Nice of you to show up.” Hux grinned when Ben moved a little further away. “I didn’t know you cared about me,” he teased, knowing Ben will take the bait.

“I don’t,” Ben growled. “Rey bullied me into coming.”

“No surprise.”

“Stop it,” Ben hissed, his eyes still fixed on his glass.

“Stop what?”

“Staring like that.”

“Like what?”

“You know that damn well,” Ben snapped.

Hux feigned innocence, but the corners of his mouth were twitching. It was entertaining how short-tempered Ben was. “I truly don’t.”

“Guys, are we witnessing a start of a beautiful friendship?”

Rey made a dramatic gesture at them. Ben looked scandalised, which only made everyone laugh, including Hux.

“I think that means no,” he answered. When the others were still busy laughing and making comments, Hux leaned to Ben and whispered, “well ’friendship’ isn’t the word I’d use.”

Ben nearly choked on his own saliva. Hux sneered, pleased, and walked back to the small group of friends, leaving Ben alone with his spinning thoughts. Gosh, what had he gotten himself into?

By the time everyone had left, it was two in the morning. Hux had been lying on the sofa since then, for almost half an hour by now, tossing and turning, images and feelings spinning around his mind. Finn and Poe were the first ones to leave a little after midnight, leaning into each other and singing from the top of their lungs some god awful pop song which Hux wasn’t familiar with, but everyone else claimed the original version was much better. They even tried to teach Hux the lyrics but he refused, causing Jessika and Rey to laugh at the failed attempt. Even Ben grinned at Hux’s protest.

Hux had fun. For a long time, he truly enjoyed something, but it didn’t matter. It wouldn’t last long anyway, and these people wouldn’t matter soon.  He shouldn’t delude himself with false hopes. He didn’t belong there.

Attachment was a distraction, emotions were a weakness, and humans were only flies in his spider web. He had orders to follow… But no matter how hard he tried to remind himself of the mission, the mansion in Transylvania seemed light years away, and the thought of Snoke was just an unpleasant memory. Being surrounded with cheerful, friendly people who accepted, even liked, Hux was messing with his head. Hux had to concentrate on the mission and seducing Ben, which was part of the mission, if not strictly speaking, and fun. He could do that. Ben was strong, there was no doubt about that, but Hux had exposed Ben’s weakness and Hux planned on fully exploiting its depth.

Ben stirred awake in his room and a few minutes later he opened the door, shuffling towards the bathroom. Hux sat up and watched him, pleased when Ben met his gaze.

“Don’t do that,” he murmured annoyed.

Hux frowned, for once not understanding what Ben meant. “What?”

Ben rolled his eyes. “That thing with your eyes, it’s creepy.”

Oh, so he meant the glowing.

“It’s not something I can control.”

“I know you can.”

Hux grinned. “Then let me rephrase it, I don’t want to control it.”

“Whatever.”

Ben reached for the knob, but suddenly Hux appeared between him and the door. He yelped in surprise, quickly shutting his mouth, both embarrassed and frustrated.

“Don’t be afraid,” Hux whispered, leaning into Ben’s comfort zone shamelessly.

Ben was struggling to keep his voice down as he hissed, “Afraid of whom? You? Don’t make me laugh.”

“Your feelings for me.”

“I don’t know where you get your delusions,” Ben snorted and tried to push Hux aside.

Hux only smirked, his ivory fangs a stark contrast of the darkness. “Your whole body is craving that second time.”

Ben trembled slightly, but growled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“That line is getting old,” Hux pointed out, leaning in closer.

Ben didn’t move an inch even though every cell in his body was screaming to flee, to avoid danger. He ignored it. “What do you want?”

Hux smiled like a predator. “You’re smart enough to know that. The question is, what do _you_ want?”

Ben drew in a sharp breath and glared at Claude. He hated him so much, he wanted to wipe that stupid, confident smirk off that handsome face. He stared into those glowing eyes and licked his lips, about to do probably the most foolish thing he’d ever done.

Hux waited, staring at Ben intensely, knowing he got him and that it was only a matter of time to break him. He brought his cold hand up to Ben’s face and to his surprise, Ben leaned into the touch. The air was suddenly knocked out of Ben and he felt the room burning around them as he was leaning closer, his lips almost touching Claude’s. His heart was beating inhumanly fast.

The bed creaked in Rey’s room and as if waking from a stupor, Ben backed away, staring at Hux bewildered. Rey could walk in on them at any moment and Ben couldn’t let that happen. He held Claude’s gaze for another second and then rushed back into his bedroom. He leaned against the door, panting. What the hell was he doing?

He almost kissed Claude and apparently Claude would have no problem with that. Ben was stuck between wanting and knowing to stay away. He shouldn’t want Claude, he shouldn’t have feelings for a vampire. Claude was the enemy and Ben knew something was wrong when he wanted to surrender, but that didn’t make him want it less.

He was so screwed.

*

Rey woke up to her ringing phone. She answered without looking at who called and nearly jumped out of her skin when Finn shouted.

“WE’VE GOT A MISSION!”

Rey groaned, sitting up on her bed. “Jesus, Finn, lower your voice.”

“Sorry,” Finn whispered. “We’re going to Italy, recruiting. Pack your bags, we leave at eleven.”

He hung up before Rey had a chance to reply. She fell back on the bed, sleep long gone. Then Finn’s words slowly sunk in, causing her to literally jump out of bed. Mission in Italy. Wow! She had always wanted to see Italy, and even though it was a mission, she would be sure to make a little time for sightseeing. She rushed to the wardrobe and started to pack her dufflebag excitedly. She was finished rather quickly, leaving enough space in the bag for weapons. She put on her Hunter gear and checked the time. 9 AM. Plenty of time until departure.

Rey padded into the living room, only to find it empty. Her stomach twisted into a nervous knot, but surely Ben wouldn’t be so stupid to pull the same stunt twice. In the end, she decided to trust Ben for once and headed towards the cafeteria, wanting to have breakfast before leaving. She ran into Wedge on her way, who greeted her with a happy grin.

“Heard about your mission,” he said. “Take care, will you?”

“Sure,” Rey smiled and gave him a hug. He was like a second father ever since Luke left. She bit her lip, asking, “Have you seen Ben by any chance?”

Wedge gave her a reassuring nod. “He’s in Training Room 5. Don’t worry, Claude’s with him.”

“It’s not Claude I’m worried about,” Rey sighed, but her shoulders eased a bit.

“Ben’s hot-headed, but he’s not stupid.”

“I hope so.”

Wedge squeezed her shoulder gently. “They’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

She smiled, then with one last reassuring look they parted.

Rey was glad to find Finn in the cafeteria, so they could go over the details quickly. Finn was just as excited as Rey, since it was their first mission together. Finn was appointed leader and Rey couldn’t have been more proud of him. It wasn’t anything dangerous, or even risky, but still, it was quite a big deal to them.

The Hunters had found a suitable candidate to recruit and they were being sent to test the person, a woman named Ashoka Tano. Judging by her file, she would be perfect to join. Rey couldn’t wait to meet her.

“I just hope Ben won’t kill Claude while we’re away,” Rey groaned before taking a bite of her toast.

“I think Claude can handle himself,” Finn grinned.

Rey grimaced. “Not helping.”

“I could ask Poe to check on them, if you want.”

She waved the offer off. “Nah, Ben has to learn discipline, it’ll be a good lesson for him.” She took another bite before continuing, “I just don’t get why he hates Claude so much. He’s nice.”

Finn shrugged. “He’s still a vampire.” Rey glared at him. “What? He is. I’m cool with it, you’re cool with it, but not everyone’s like us,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, but Ben’s with us. I honestly thought he’d stop this drama after our mission.”

“Maybe he just needs more time.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm, guess who is joining the story soon?


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My beta was once again the fabulous [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

The universe hated Ben, there was no other explanation. Not only had his mother summoned him and Hux to report, but they ran into Rey on their way. She was grinning happily, though there was a hint of worry in her shining eyes.

“Guys, Finn and I’ve got a mission.”

“Congratulations,” Hux smiled politely.

Ben was dumbstruck, gaping like a fish. He didn’t know which was worse, Rey going away with Finn or him staying alone with Claude. She made a face, thinking Ben’s silence was due to his murderous intentions.

“Please, don’t kill each other,” she whined, rolling her eyes pointedly at Ben.

“Don’t worry, we’re getting along quite well,” Hux assured her with a grin.

Ben nearly fainted. “Like hell we are!”

Rey laughed heartily, then gave Ben a hug. “Don’t do anything stupid until I get back.”

“I’ll try,” Ben mumbled into her hair, wrapping his arms around his cousin briefly.

Rey patted Hux on the shoulder, causing him to try really hard not to flinch. He wasn’t used to the whole public displays of affection thing, but he managed a small smile, nodding at Rey. Then Rey left and, despite her words, all Ben could think of was doing stupid things while she was gone, although he was fairly sure she meant different things by ‘stupid’.

An hour later, Ben was back in the training room, punching a boxing bag as if it would make all his problems disappear. It was definitely better than facing them. He had left Claude with his mother, being glad to have some private time. He wanted to spend it thinking, but that turned out to be a bad idea, so he chose to beat the boxing bag until his knuckles bled instead.

“Channeling your inner fury?”

Ben looked up so fast he hurt his neck. Claude was leaning against the doorway, watching him with a crooked smile. Ben rolled his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

Hux frowned. “Rey’s gone and I’m not exactly allowed to be roaming the base alone.” His face lit up in a wicked way. “You’re stuck with me.”

“Great.”

“You know,” he spoke as he took a step forward, but then Ben pointed at him warningly.

“If you come any closer I swear to god-”

“Relax,” Hux grinned, putting up his hands in surrender. “I just wanted to offer my help.”

“Your help?” Ben asked incredulously.

Hux glanced at the weapons hanging on the wall. “Training, obviously.”

Ben scoffed. “The last time we trained it didn’t go really well.”

“The last time we trained, you were trying to kill me.”

“I didn’t,” Ben exclaimed and received a glare. He corrected himself. “Yeah, um, okay, maybe I did.” He sighed. “What makes you think I don’t want to kill you now?”

“Do you seriously want me to answer?”

“No, probably not,” Ben replied quickly, his cheeks flushing. He glanced at the weapons. “Okay, then let’s train. Can you use a sword?”

“You bet I can.”

*

Poe hated that his recovery was taking so long, but Jessika was right. His bones needed time to heal completely, otherwise they would break easily, and Poe certainly didn’t want that. He wanted to go back to the field, but he was not allowed yet. It was awful to lie around all day and do nothing. And now Finn had gone to Italy with Rey, leaving Poe completely alone and feeling useless.

He was on his way back to his room, planning to sulk all day, when he caught a small commotion in the kitchen. People were shouting both excitedly and worriedly and were then rushing towards one of the training rooms. Oh god, Poe hoped it wasn’t Ben trying to execute Claude publicly. He followed the others, his heart pounding nervously. He doubted he would be able to stop Ben even if he had been in his best physical shape. He came to a halt as he entered the training room, where the crowd formed a circle around something that sounded like a sword fight. He pushed past the amazed people and was ready to stand between Claude and Ben, but then his jaw dropped at the sight.

True, they were fighting, but it was nothing like before, and nothing like Poe had ever witnessed. Ben had perfect control of his emotions, his brow was furrowed in concentration, and there was a gleeful smile plastered all over his face. Claude was obviously holding back, but only enough not to hurt Ben. He had a mocking grin, but his eyes were shining with excitement. They were moving in perfect sync. When Ben stepped forward to strike him, Claude stepped back and blocked his swing gracefully, then instantly moved for a counterattack. Ben jumped back just in time, bending down to avoid the blade hitting his head. He turned around then attacked again, forcing Claude to defend himself. It was like watching a well-choreographed dance. Poe was suddenly back in medieval times, watching a real duel between two knights; they were moving easily, the swords a part of their bodies, their steps confident and strikes ruthless. It was breath-taking.

“You think they had enough of the show?” Hux asked, grinning when their faces came close, only the two swords standing in their way.

Ben glanced around quickly, only now realizing the audience. “Let’s call it even.”

Ben grinned and stepped back, withdrawing his sword simultaneously with Hux. They bowed and the Hunters started cheering and whistling appreciatively, clapping in approval. A few even congratulated them, then the crowd started to dissolve.

Poe walked up to the strange pair, smiling. “Guys, that was awesome.”

Ben smiled sheepishly, a blush creeping up his neck. “Thanks, man.”

Hux was mildly surprised how bad he was taking a praise. Ben was trying to look as small as possible, barely meeting anyone’s gaze. Poe patted Ben on the back and nodded at Hux, who responded the same way, this time with an honest smile on his face. Hux shook his head as soon as Poe walked away, looking at Ben with his eyebrows raised.

“What?” Ben asked sharply.

“You need to learn how to take a compliment. You were great.”

This time, his tone lacked the usual mock. Ben looked at him with a frown, as if waiting for him to continue, to make fun of him—Hux didn’t. Slowly, Ben smiled and it was the brightest one Hux had ever seen him make. He looked grateful, like he was happy Hux admitted his talent.

Why did Hux’s words mean more to Ben compared to other Hunters’? Why did his opinion matter to Ben? Hux felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice-cold water on him.

*

“Oh my god, it’s so exciting!” Rey squealed happily, not even trying to contain her excitement since they landed. Finn could hardly blame her, as he was feeling the same way, but chose to express his emotions in a more moderated way. “We totally have to try pizza. And lasagna. And some kind of pasta, I’m thinking of Bolognese,” she chatted on with shining eyes.

Finn smiled mildly. “Hate to break this to you, but we’ve a mission to complete.”

Rey poked her tongue out at Finn, then giggled at his frowning expression. “I know that, don’t worry.” She waved him off, then gave him a conspiratorial grin, adding, “We can still have fun, can’t we?” She looked around the terminal and spotted a store full of bags and shoes. She pointed at it, jumping. “I need a real Italian bag!” She announced and would have run away, had Finn not caught her arm.

“We should find our contact first,” he pointed out, rolling his eyes. Rey huffed like an annoyed child but nodded, her eyes still shining playfully.

“Alright, _boss_ , lead the way then.”

Finn barely surpassed a grin. “That’s more like it.”

He took his phone out as they walked towards the exit, switching the airplane mode off and it almost immediately beeped. Poe had sent a message. Finn opened it, smiling fondly at the screen. Poe surely missed him already, the romantic idiot.

Claude and Ben had most epic sword fight eva!!!! & u guys totally missed it No one is dead, thx god. Have fun in Italy xoxo

All Finn managed to say was, “Jesus Christ!”

“What?” Rey looked at him questioningly then snatched the phone from his hands. “Wow!”

“I know right. What did we miss?”

Rey let out a short laugh as she handed the phone back to Finn. “Guess they’re getting along.”

Finn put it back in his pocket then looked around. They were supposed to meet their contact right outside the terminal. He spotted a woman no older than thirty, her skin light brown, her hair white with blue stripes in it. What had General Organa said? Oh yes, something like: “you’ll know her when you see her.”

Finn beckoned his head towards her. “That’s our contact, I guess.”

She approached them with steady steps, confidence radiating from her body. She smiled formally. “Finn Dameron and Rey Skywalker?” They nodded, smiling nervously. “Nice to meet you, I’m Ashoka Tano.”

*

The rest of the day passed in a blur and Ben was too occupied with thoughts of the sword fight to actually worry about the evening. That was, of course, until it came and he realized he had to spend the night alone with Claude. Claude, who had been giving him those strange looks all day and who was now approaching him with a small, knowing smirk.

“Don’t get any funny ideas,” Ben said, but it didn’t sound as convincing as he would have liked. His tone was already trembling and Claude didn’t miss it.

Claude stopped for a moment, looking innocent. “I would never,” he assured Ben, but then he took another step closer and brought his hand up to stroke Ben’s cheeks. All Ben had to do was lean forward and forget everything. He couldn’t. He was too afraid of where this might lead, what consequences he’d have to face. He wasn’t ready for looking deep into his soul, but maybe Claude would make him forget all those worries as well. “We haven’t finished though,” Claude whispered against his lips and moved his free hand around Ben’s waist.

“We shouldn’t have started in the first place,” Ben mumbled, his hands hanging by his sides awkwardly.

“And yet here we are.”

“And here we are,” Ben repeated slowly, before looking into Claude’s eyes. “Why are you doing this?” he asked; his voice was faltering, but it was also laced with accusation.

“Because I want you,” Claude said simply.

Ben didn’t expect such a blunt reply. “Why? Why would you want someone like me?”

Hux barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Why did Ben have to ask so many stupid questions? What was he supposed to say? That he just wants to have fun before he hands him over to Snoke? That he is curious? That he finds Ben actually attractive? Hux looked deep into Ben’s eyes and then he realized he had missed something very important about him. Ben was distant and rude and offensive towards Hux, but it was only because he was trying so hard to conceal his true feelings. He was interested in Hux. It was probably the same odd sense of attraction Hux had for Ben, but nonetheless, it was there. Ben was desperate for someone to understand him, to love him. He was closed-off with his own mother, and even with Rey. Ben thought he had finally found a person who would understand him. Oh, the irony. Hux was surely going to give Ben everything he ever wanted, just to take it away and destroy him. For the first time, Hux doubted himself. He doubted he would be able to do that. He didn’t want to hurt Ben, not really, not when he realized the raw vulnerability in those dark eyes.

Ben mistook Hux’s silence for hesitation and he looked away, embarrassed. Hux caught his chin and turned Ben so their gazes met again.

“Why wouldn’t I? I’ve never met anyone like you. You make me…” He was searching for something proper to say but he wasn’t able to find it. He didn’t know what he was supposed to say but he knew he had to say something meaningful. And then, the words slipped off his tongue against his will. “You make me feel alive.”

No, that wasn’t the right thing to say, that’s not what he wanted, not what he meant, it wasn’t true, it couldn’t be…

Ben’s face lit up and the playful glint returned to his eyes. It caught Hux off guard. He looked so handsome with that shy smile. Hux wanted to kiss him, so he did.

It was slow and gentle and Ben melted into Hux’s touch as he pulled him closer. He was so tired of resisting. He wrapped his arms around Hux’s neck to deepen the kiss. Apparently, Hux had no objections and he kissed him harder, rougher, with more passion. Ben’s head was getting light under Hux’s demanding kiss, his whole body trembling in excitement.

Ben didn’t know where he got his courage, but then he pushed Hux against the wall, claiming his lips ferociously. All doubt and reason disappeared in an instant, leaving place for pure need.  Hux slid his hands down Ben’s body and squeezed his ass encouragingly, drawing a sweet moan from the Hunter.

Hux grinned and moved from Ben’s mouth to his jawline, then down to his neck, covering every inch of skin with kisses. He was lapping at Ben’s neck, the thick veins pulsating under his tongue. He could feel how fast Ben’s heartbeat got, both in excitement and sudden fear. It would only take Hux a fraction of a second to sink his teeth into Ben’s neck and suck his blood out. Ben shivered at the possibility and grabbed Hux’s red hair tighter. God help him, he would have let him suck him dry at that moment. Fortunately, Hux had more sense and resisted the temptation. He pushed Ben away only enough to get rid of their shirts, then caught Ben’s lips for another desperate kiss. Hux wasn’t thinking of tactics anymore, he didn’t plan anything. He just gave into the feeling and let his senses control him.

Ben stopped resisting, stopped trying to convince himself why this was a bad idea. He wanted Claude real bad and even if he would regret it later, he was certain it would be worth it.

Hux kissed Ben long and full of passion while his hands were working on their pants, and Ben didn’t mind letting him take control as he was sure he wasn’t capable of undressing himself. He pulled at Hux’s hair again, nudging him to move onto his neck again, baring his throat. Hux’s cock twitched at the sight and his eyes flashed red.

The next moment, Ben found himself pushed down on the floor with Claude on top of him, their naked torsos pressing together as Claude was skilfully freeing their cocks. Ben moaned when Claude took him in hand, stroking his manhood. He reached for Claude to return the favour, but Claude caught his hand and held him down firmly.

“Oh no, we’re playing by _my_ rules,” he grinned down at Ben, whose manhood hardened at the tone.

“And what are those?” Ben asked, trying to look as challenging as he could in the situation. He was trying to struggle free but Claude’s grip was too firm.

Hux let go of Ben’s erection and flipped him over. Ben made a surprised sound but didn’t even have time to feel embarrassed. Hux’s manhood was nudging at his ass cheeks, his whole body pressing Ben into the floor. Hux pinned his wrists down by his head and leaned close to whisper into his ear.

“First, I’m going to drive you crazy. I won’t touch you until you _beg_.” Hux emphasized the words while thrusting down harder, causing Ben to whimper. “And then, I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll forget everything but me and you’ll scream my name.” Ben was having a hard time breathing. His whole body was on fire, and all it took Claude was some dirty talk and frottage to make Ben nearly come. His cock was trapped between his tights and the hard floor and it was torture that he couldn’t touch himself or Claude. “Will you scream my name?”

Claude’s voice seemed so distant, at first Ben wasn’t sure he actually spoke, but then Claude stopped moving.

“Yes, yes I will,” Ben promised. “Please, Claude, please.”

He was going crazy, but he didn’t care. Not when Claude pushed his fingers into Ben’s mouth ~~then~~ before using saliva-coated fingers to stretch Ben. It burnt a bit, but Ben could handle the pain if it meant to have Claude inside soon. And he had.

“Keep your hands there,” Hux ordered as he sat back on his heels and grabbed Ben’s hips, positioning himself.

Ben’s hands trembled but he didn’t move them from the floor. Hux slowly pushed in and Ben gritted his teeth to suppress a hiss. Hux didn’t give him much time to adjust, but Ben wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was rough and animalistic, just like he had expected. And he loved every bit of it. He didn’t want tender touches and soft kisses, he wanted biting and scratching and Claude’s strong arms holding him down.

“Fuck, harder, please, I can take it, ahh-”

Ben didn’t need to ask twice. Hux picked up the pace and the room was filled with their moans and the sound of skin slapping against skin. And then, just as Hux wanted, Ben begged him for release, to let him stroke himself, and when he felt like he was going to explode, Claude granted his wish.

Two hours later, they were lying in Ben’s bed, completely worn-out, the air hot and steamy, smelling of sex. Ben didn’t know he was able to come this many times and Hux didn’t expect to enjoy himself this much. This day was full of surprises, apparently.

Hux shifted on the bed, about to sit up, but Ben caught his hand weakly, half-asleep.

“Stay,” he mumbled, tone almost pleading.

Hux knew it was a bad idea, but for some reason he was reluctant to leave. So he laid back down and allowed Ben to curl up against him, letting the human’s even breathing lull him to sleep.

*

_Hux was in a pitch black cell again, and he wasn’t alone. There was a crying figure in the corner just like last time. Judging by his size, it was a child. Hux tried to stand up, but his legs were too heavy. There was also a rattle sound of a chain, and Hux noted, stunned, that he had been chained to the wall by his ankle. He tried to crawl to the kid, using all his effort to reach him. The floor was cold and dirty, but Hux paid no attention, all he knew was that he needed to touch the figure. He wanted to know who he was._

_“Who are you?” he whispered, the words coming out strained._

_Hux was only an inch away, but he couldn’t move any further. The child stopped crying and wiped his eyes, his red hair like a blazing fire in the darkness. His green eyes fell on Hux, and he didn’t look lost like Hux had expected. No, he looked proud and defiant._

_“I’m a prince.”_

_A heavy blue fog engulfed the scene and Hux found himself in another dream._

_It was that woman again, this time wearing a plaid shirt over a simple white T-shirt and a pair of black jeans. She looked surprisingly casual compared to her usual, elegant gowns. She was sitting on a king-sized bed, smiling. Hux was standing in the doorway, examining his surroundings. The walls were dark red, the furniture old and expensive, beautiful paintings covering the wall. And there were toys all over the floor. It was a child’s bedroom, Hux realized, and his gaze fell on a soft toy which looked like a bat. He stared at it completely mesmerized, but he had no idea why it looked so familiar._

_“Mommy, mommy! Read me a bedtime story, please!”_

_Hux snapped his gaze towards the sound and found the same kid from his previous dream running to the woman, the proud child with green eyes and red hair. His eyes were exactly the same as the woman’s, likely his mother. Just like…_

Hux startled awake, the pair of eyes still haunting him in the darkness. It took him a few moments to calm down. He was in Ben’s bedroom, in Ben’s bed, and the owner of the bed was sleeping calmly next to Hux. He shifted and snuggled closer to Hux, and for some reason, Hux found Ben’s presence comforting. He wrapped an arm around him and tried to go back to sleep.

What a strange dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave a comment! I'm dying to know what you think of my story, no kidding <3 Also, come and talk to me on [Tumblr](http://rainbowspirk.tumblr.com/).
> 
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	13. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrow, I'm going back to my shitty job after a month of break, so the updates may get delayed. I will try my best though, because writing makes me happy - a LOT - but things can get busy and sometimes rather depressing, so I won't make any promise. Please bear with me. Don't worry, I won't abandod the story, I have the completed version handwritten ;)
> 
> Thanks for all the amazing comments so far, I really appreciate them! You guys are the BEST <3
> 
> Kudos for beta-ing goes to the one and only [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever) I don't know what I would do without your help!

Ben stirred awake to an empty bed. He bolted upright, panicking for a second before hearing the water running in the shower. He fell back, a relieved sigh leaving his plump lips. He closed his eyes, but then images of the night started to pop up randomly and his cheeks started to burn. He rolled to his stomach and buried his face into a pillow, which smelled like Claude.

“God, what did I do?” he whispered, the pillow muffling his voice.

He knew it was too late for regrets and if he wanted to be honest with himself, the only regret he had was that it was over. For now. Somewhere between Claude’s mouth on his neck and Ben begging for release, he had given up resisting and dismissed all reasonable thoughts. He swallowed a grin. Yes, he did enjoy it. His blood was boiling at the memories. He might be crazy to trust Claude, but so far he gave no reason at all not to trust him. As odd as it was, Claude was on their side. Ben wondered which one was more unbelievable, Claude with the Hunters or Claude in his bed.

The water stopped and Ben froze, reality starting to sink in. He wasn’t sure he could look Claude in the eye so soon. A few tense moments passed, but Claude didn’t enter the bedroom. Ben heard him sitting down in a chair in the living room. He appreciated being given some space.

Ben took his time to get dressed, making up various scenarios on what would happen now, until he made himself so anxious he seriously considered just locking himself up in his bedroom for the rest of his life. Sadly, that wasn’t an option, and the sooner he got over the awkwardness the better. Ben told himself to get his shit together, then opened the door, trying to look as casual as possible.

Claude was sitting at the dining table, one of the leather bounded books open in front of him. He was scribbling notes on a sheet of paper in focus. He glanced up and gave Ben a crooked smile, his eyes shining mischievously. Ben fought hard not to blush, but he ended up failing miserably. He coughed to hide his embarrassment and pulled out a chair across from Claude.

“Hey,” he said quickly, nodding at the book. “What are you doing?”

“Rey translated this text using that computer program. I’m checking its accuracy.”

Ben frowned at the book. “You speak Hungarian?” It was difficult to keep his amazement out of the tone. Hux nodded with a grin, feeling proud. He refrained from boasting about actually how many languages he could speak and understand. He didn’t know where the urge came from, though. “Wow,” Ben spoke before he could stop himself, causing Hux’s grin to grow wider.

“You speak it, too, don’t you? You live here.”

Ben shrugged, smiling. “I can, a little, but those,” he pointed at the old book, “I couldn’t translate that text even if my life depended on it.”

Hux let out a short laugh. “That scenario is rather unlikely.”

“In this crazy world, you can never know.”

Hux snickered, his eyes still locked with Ben’s, who was unable to look away. There was something in that predatory look, Ben couldn’t say what, but it was something deep and meaningful. He wondered how Claude really felt about the night. Apparently, he was an open book to Claude, but Ben wanted to know what was in Claude’s mind. He liked to uncover mysteries and Claude was a perfect challenge.

It was getting too much and Ben tore his gaze away at last, glancing down at the table. “I’ll go grab some breakfast. Wanna join training after?”

Mild surprise crossed Hux’s face, but it was gone as soon as it came. “Sure,” he replied.

Nodding, Ben stood up and turned away to hide a happy grin. Hux watched him leave, and then turned his attention back to the text that described how dead people crawled out of their cracked tombs. He waited a few minutes until he was sure Ben wouldn’t come back, and then he pushed the book aside, pulling a crumpled paper from his pocket. He tore a certain page out from one of the books he found. It was already missing a few parts and he hoped this particular missing page wouldn’t stand out. It was a picture of that painting of a woman he examined with Rey. It was the same woman in his dreams and Hux concentrated on the picture, trying to remember. He had a feeling it was someone important and he may have known her, but it was hard to tell. The line between memories and dreams got blurred. However, those dreams didn’t really felt like normal dreams, they were more like visions. It was confusing. Hux looked at the woman’s beautiful face for a long time, studying the background, the velvet sofa, the old carpet and the dark windows. His head was starting to spin and he closed his eyes to make it stop.

_Hux was cowering in a corner, flames and hotness surrounding him, the smoke suffocating. The dark curtains were blazing, the floor was red and slippery. He knew it was blood even before he touched it with trembling fingers. He had never felt so scared in his entire life. Tears were streaming down his face, and he was smaller than his actual height, he was a child once again._

_Suddenly, a woman stepped to him, fierce and stunning, looking like a goddess of war in her red and black dress, her eyes glowing crimson. She touched him on the shoulder, and Hux stopped sobbing._

_“Mom?”_

_“It’s gonna be okay, sweetheart.” She smiled, squeezing his shoulder just enough to give him strength. “I won’t let them take you.”_

_She pushed Hux behind her and pulled something from her belt, standing between Hux and the door protectively._

_She was wielding a sword, Hux realised belated, the hilt shaped as a bat, its eyes made of ruby, the body of black diamond. Hux gaped at it, amazed,_ _but he reeled back when the door exploded and vicious beasts started to swarm in. They were vampires, Hux could tell, but they were mad, their eyes glowing scarily, their clothes torn and blood-covered, their movements grotesque. The woman, his mother, moved faster than a hurricane, slashing at the attackers ruthlessly, cutting one down with every strike. Hux had never seen someone fight like this, with this brutal precision and speed. He didn’t dare to make a sound and backed to the wall as close as possible, just far enough not to get burnt._

_It was over quickly. She was leaning on the sword, clearly exhausted. Such a fight must have drained her energy. Hux was about to run to her and help her stand, not caring that he wouldn’t be much of a support in his current appearance. Before he could step forward, a dark figure appeared and his mother stood straight, ready to attack, even though her legs started to get shaky._

_“I won’t let you take my son!” she snarled, moving like a snake, ready to fight her enemy until her last breath._

_Her movements were precise and deadly, but it was clear she was getting tired. The malicious dark figure deflected all her lethal attacks almost effortlessly. Suddenly, she froze, terror clear in her eyes. She looked at Hux, her mouth opening to shout to run, but no words came out. For a terrible moment, her gaze locked with Hux’s and then the light disappeared forever and she fell to the floor with a loud thud._

_“Mom!” Hux screamed as the enemy kicked her lifeless body aside._

_He ran to her, shaking her, calling her name helplessly, crying and trembling in both rage and fear. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against the attacker, and his death was near. However, nothing mattered. He would not go down without a fight._

_Blind rage taking over, Hux grabbed the sword from her cold hands, ready to finish what she started or die trying. The figure laughed wickedly, sending the chill up Hux’s spine. Despite the burning building, Hux felt eerie calmness taking over. He slashed at the enemy who easily caught his hand and twisted the sword from his grasp._

_That was when Hux saw the figure’s face, which was so terrifying he went completely numb, forgetting to fight back. The figure touched his head with long, bony fingers and everything went black._

Hux fell back in the chair and woke up. He jumped up immediately, growling, his fangs out, eyes glowing crimson. It was just a dream, he tried to calm himself, withdrawing his fangs and turning his eyes back to normal. It couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be a memory. No, no, it had to be a strange dream, his memories getting altered. Being around the Hunters must have driven him crazy.

Still, that terror he felt, the heat, the pain… it all felt real. He could even smell the smoke and feel his skin hot. Hux balled his hands into fists as he tried to control his emotions. Rage started to swell up inside his gut, stronger than any reason. It was primal, animalistic, and Hux knew it was real. The evil creature who killed the woman, his mother, it was, it was…

Snoke.

*

Rey hit the snooze button at least five times before she managed to get up. She glanced at Finn’s bed, which was across the room, and found it empty. He was probably sparring with Ashoka to decide how much training she would need before being sent to the field.

Rey liked Ashoka. She was polite and smart, and she possessed a wide range of combat skills, which would most definitely come handy in a fight. The Hunters could use some talented newbies.

They went over the standard questions the previous day after Ashoka had shown them around in her small apartment. Finn and Rey were impressed by her knowledge regarding vampires and they both agreed that Ashoka passed the psychological test with flying colours. They were fairly sure she would be a valuable asset, but Finn still had to test her physical skills in order to give her a final answer.

Rey got dressed and brushed her teeth hastily, then padded into the backyard, where Finn and Ashoka were throwing punches at each other. She sat on the stairs and grabbed Finn’s mug, taking a few sips of his cold coffee.

“Hey!” Finn exclaimed as he dodged Ashoka’s left hook.

Rey stuck out her tongue and giggled, which made Ashoka stop and greet her. Finn sent her a death glare, which made her roll her eyes. She knew how much he hated when someone drank or ate his food, even Poe wasn't allowed that luxury, but in Rey’s opinion, Finn simply enjoyed overreacting.

Rey hoped the physical test wouldn’t last long so they would have a little time for sightseeing before heading back in the evening. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the warm breeze.

Ashoka sat beside her on the stairs, her cheeks red from the fight. She grabbed her bottle and drank half of the water. Rey handed the mug to Finn, who only grimaced.

“It’s cold now anyway.”

Rey shrugged, and drank it. “So how’s it going?” she asked curiously as soon as Ashoka’s breath evened out.

“She’s tough,” Finn said quickly and it made Ashoka smile.

“You’re not going easy on me either.”

“Of course I’m not,” Finn grinned proudly, causing Rey to grin as well. She saw how much he enjoyed his first own mission. “We’ll do some fencing next. Have you got some sticks or something we could use?”

Ashoka scowled, thinking, then after a few seconds she nodded. “Lemme get them.” She got to her feet and hurried back into the house.

“You wanna take over?” Finn offered.

“Getting tired?” Rey asked teasingly, earning another death glare. She huffed a laugh. “All right, I could use some training anyway.”

They both fell silent until Ashoka returned, holding two sticks. Rey scrambled to her feet and took one, both women getting into position. Rey was just about to step forward when her phone started to ring. Ashoka frowned, confused, and Rey made an apologetic face.

“Who’s that?” Ashoka asked Finn.

“The General.”

Rey sighed. “Sorry, gotta take this.”

“No problem.”

Rey exchanged the stick for her phone and walked away a few meters before answering. It was probably the briefest conversation in her life, and definitely the most shocking. She nearly dropped the phone. She stood dumbstruck long after Leia hung up, her eyes fixed on the ground, her mind elsewhere.

“Is everything okay?”

Finn’s voice snapped her out of her trance, causing her to nearly jump when his firm hand grabbed her shoulder. She took a deep breath and turned around, her expression perplexed.

“Dad made contact.”

*

Hux was still kind of dazed when Ben came back, but thankfully he didn’t notice. Hux wouldn’t know how to talk himself out of it if Ben did. He didn’t know anything anymore. Images and feelings were swimming around his head in a maddening whirlpool. He almost got sick, so he focused on Ben instead.

He found Ben’s cheerful vibes somehow annoying and at the same time he hated to admit it made him…well, not feel so miserable.

Ben smiled sheepishly and raised a packet of blood. “Thought you’d be thirsty.”

Hux tilted his head, smiling playfully. “Are you taking care of me?”

Ben rolled his eyes. “Don’t get so full of yourself. I just don’t want you to snap and murder me in my sleep.”

“Please, there are more fun things to do in your bed.”

Ben blushed at the suggestive tone and tossed the blood towards Hux. “Just bloody drink it.”

“Bossy, huh?” Hux grinned, but did as he was told.

Ben pulled out his tablet and started typing on the screen. He frowned. “There’s been two vampire attacks in the past week. Considering that we’ve got rid of their hideout, it’s pretty alarming.”

Hux wiped his mouth and tossed the empty packet away. “You think they have another base?”

Ben shrugged. “I hoped you’d tell me.”

Hux thought about it. He didn’t remember having two bases in Budapest, but it was possible another had been formed since he left. He doubted that, though. “As far as I know, no. It must be a stray.”

“Could it be a small group?”

“Were the victims alone?”

Ben scrolled down. “Yeah.”

“Then it must be one individual. Groups attack more than just one person.”

“You don’t think they targeted certain people?”

“Even if they did, sending a whole group?” Hux shook his head. “It would be a waste. One vampire can do the job.”

Hux didn’t even think of lying and he idly wondered whether it was a good thing or not. He knew he should feel alarmed, but for some reason he just felt relieved. It was terrible, because he had a mission to complete, otherwise certain death awaited. Hux realized he didn’t have much of a choice, if he didn’t do what Snoke ordered, he would be hunted down, but if he had told the truth to the Hunters, they wouldn’t spare his life either. Either way, he would fail, and failure wasn’t in his nature. He didn’t want to think about it.

“You listening?” Ben snapped his fingers in front of Hux’s face, a rather bold move. Hux frowned at him. Ben sighed and then repeated, “I’m going to ask for permission to investigate, will you…?”

Ben stopped, leaving the question hanging in the air, looking at Hux hesitantly.

“Will I what?” he grinned teasingly. Ben rolled his eyes so hard it was a miracle he didn’t hurt himself. Hux chuckled. “All right, I’ll help.”

Hux hated to find that Ben’s small, relieved smile was so attractive.

*

Hux was having mixed feelings about carrying out this mission and Ben finally getting comfortable around him didn’t help. As it turned out, making Ben attached to him was a genius plan, which perfectly backfired. Hux wasn’t supposed to have feelings for anyone, least of all for a certain sarcastic black-haired Hunter. And those dreams/memories issue was only the cherry on top. He wanted to dismiss them, God knows he tried, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were real, and the possibility was gnawing on him. What if he was indeed a vampire prince? What if his parents were murdered by Snoke and then he twisted Hux’s memories in some wicked way? That would explain why so many of the Purebloods looked down on him until he climbed to the top. The idea seemed so silly, Hux scolded himself for even considering, but that wouldn’t change the fact that something was odd about Snoke.

He came from nowhere, nobody knew who he was or what he was, but a great many of the Purebloods followed. Were they part of the conspiracy to murder the Hux family and take over? Hux was feeling dizzy just thinking about it, so he tried to turn his attention elsewhere.

General Organa had agreed to let Hux go with Ben and catch the stray vampire who was killing innocent people. Organa asked them to capture the vampire alive, something Hux would make sure didn’t happen. It was too risky. They had to leave after sunset, which was still hours away. They did some training together, but Ben wasn’t concentrating enough and Hux wasn’t in the mood either, so they headed back to Ben’s quarters. That was when Ben finally asked a question Hux had been dreading. He actually looked slightly annoyed and very disappointed.

“What’s wrong?”

Hux’s first instinct was to deny. “Nothing.”

“You seem distracted, there must be a reason.” Hux looked away, his mind racing to come up with an excuse. Ben scoffed, looking hurt, like he couldn’t believe Hux was thinking what he thought he was thinking. “Look, if it’s about yesterday, let’s just forget it.”

“No,” Hux said louder than he had intended. “No, it’s not that, I just… I don’t want to mess with your head.”

Well, it was true at least. Ben snorted, but his eyes started to gleam playfully. “A bit late for that, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Hux admitted, then added after a bit of hesitation, “do you want to forget?”

Ben went silent, but his cheeks turned rosy. Then, after a minute, which seemed impossibly long, he whispered, “No.” That was exactly the answer Hux was afraid of. And Ben wasn’t finish. He coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment, then continued. “The way you make me feel, I’ve never felt like this before.” Please stop. “I don’t know what this is, but I...I want to figure it out, with you.”

This broke Hux’s cold heart. Now he was on the verge of spilling out the truth, so instead he grabbed Ben by the collar of his shirt, pulled him closer, and silenced him with a long, tender kiss. Ben smiled against his lips and wrapped his arms around Hux’s neck, encouraging him. Hux was holding him as tight as possible, wanting this moment to last forever, never wanting to let go, never wanting to stop. It would be so much easier. He had never been this tempted to abandon his duties, his responsibility, his blood. And for what? A weak human, a Hunter. And yet, he would have done it, God help him, he was so close to doing it.

Ben started to push him until his legs hit the sofa and he fell on it, with Ben in his lap, their mouths still dancing around each other. They took their time, fighting a playful battle of tongues, the other tasting somehow familiar but still excitingly new. Ben messed his hair up, and Hux would have been angry if it hadn’t felt so good and if he hadn’t been too occupied to trace Ben’s ribs under his clothes. Ben’s hands grabbed his hair tight and he was making soft moans against Hux’s lips, rolling his hips teasingly. A wave of thoughts hit Hux, but he didn’t want to care, not now, not yet. He only wanted Ben and Ben was right there, his body warm and trembling, his heartbeat erratic, his mouth hot on Hux’s chilly skin. It felt so amazing and Hux wanted more. He slipped his hands to Ben’s waist, and then grabbed his ass tightly, causing Ben to jump slightly and break the kiss with a grin.

“You’re a bloody tease.”

Hux let out a short laugh, their foreheads touching, lips only a few inches apart. “Me? What about you?”

“Oh, shut up.” Ben was kissing him again, hard and rough, just like Hux wanted it.

“OH MY GOD!” In the doorway, Rey had appeared, squealing, dropping her bag to cover her eyes. “I’m so sorry, guys, I didn’t mean, I’ll just, go, yeah, go-”

Rey backed out while babbling, still trying to look away. Ben and Hux sprang apart, or more likely Ben jumped off of Hux, and nearly fell if Hux hadn’t steadied him. They had been too preoccupied to hear her enter. Hux was simply surprised, but Ben looked horrified, and after a quick glance at Hux, he ran after his cousin.

“Rey, Rey stop!” he yelled, running to catch up with her.

Rey was blushing madly. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve knocked, I didn’t-”

Ben grabbed her arm and pulled her aside to an empty corridor. She was still stuttering apologies when Ben blurted out, “Aren’t you disgusted?”

Rey went silent and stared at him almost furiously. “How could you think that?!”

Ben tried to shush her without much success. He shrugged then, his face just as confused as Rey’s.

“Well, he is a vamp.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Who cares? I mean, yeah, I’m pretty shocked ‘cuz I thought you hated him, but, if that’s what you want.”

“Honestly? I don’t know what I want,” he admitted with a sigh. Rey gave him a sympathetic smile. “Please, don’t tell anyone.”

She looked scandalised. “I’m amazed how little faith you have in me.”

“Sorry, sorry, I just wanted to, please, just don’t, okay?”

“Of course I won’t, but you know it can’t be a secret forever.”

“Yeah, I know.” Now that Ben’s fear had dissolved, he frowned. “You’re early.”

“Dad made contact,” Rey said simply, though her expression was a mixture of emotions.

“Luke? When? How?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m here. Didn’t your mother tell you?” she asked surprised, but then regretted as Ben’s face fell. “I’m sure she was just too busy.”

Ben nodded, but he didn’t believe that. Maybe General Organa didn’t want Claude to know and she didn’t trust Ben.

“I’ll go talk to her, so you and Claude can,” Rey gestured at Ben’s crumpled shirt with a grin, “finish whatever you started.”

Ben blushed, but before he could reply, Rey had already disappeared. He padded back to his quarters, where Claude was still sitting on the sofa. He looked at Ben expectantly, the question hanging in the air. Ben waved it off.

“She took it surprisingly well.”

Hux was surprised. He knew Rey believed in him, but wouldn’t dream of her supporting his and Ben’s, well, whatever this was.

“She’s great,” he said at last.

“Yeah, she is.” Ben sat on the sofa next to Hux, burying his face into his palms. “Why is everything so complicated?”

Hux wrapped his arms around Ben. He was asking the same.

*

Rey returned a good hour later, knocking on the door loudly before entering. She couldn’t hide her grin upon seeing Ben and Claude sitting on the sofa, leaning against each other while watching Star Trek.

“Good to see you guys getting along,” she chatted cheerfully and sat on the armrest. “I was afraid of Ben killing you while I was gone.”

“Hey!” Ben snorted indignantly, causing Hux to grin.

“Anyway, I’ve got great news,” Rey continued. “I spoke with dad. He needs help. He found something, which he believes used to be a Pureblood mansion. It’s only wreckage now, but still. Anyway, I’m flying to Germany on the day after tomorrow and wanted to know if you would come with me. The General has already agreed, though she needed some persuasion,” she finished with a wink.

Hux nodded absentmindedly. “Sure, but I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

Hux had no idea about wreckages related to Purebloods in Germany, so it had to be a bust, but checking would never hurt.

“Have a little faith in yourself, you’ve already helped more than we’d care to admit.” Hux’s stomach did a back flip at Rey’s grateful tone. He didn’t deserve it, they didn’t deserve it. “And just for the record,” she pointed at Ben seriously, “after your mission, you’re telling me the details.”

She giggled at Hux’s frown and Ben’s outraged expression, then quickly disappeared into her room. Oh, life was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of this chapter? I certainly had fun writing this one.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, job still sucks but I need to pay the tuition fee, school started and to top it off I caught a nasty cold last week. Anyway, I don't know what to say about this chapter, just don't hate me please!
> 
> Hats off to my beta [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

There was a park in the close vicinity of both murders, so they decided to start there. It was a rather warm night, but the clouds were hiding the moon and the stars, making it darker than Ben would have preferred. Hux was a few steps behind Ben, who had his bow ready for shooting. He was cautious, which was smart.

Hux hadn’t sensed anything odd so far, so he let his mind wander to the several ideas of how to get himself out of this hole he had dug for himself. He had to pay attention to the elephant in the room, otherwise he’d go crazy. Slowly and reluctantly, he started to accept there was no way he’d betray Ben. He couldn’t do it. He failed spectacularly in his mission, and what scared him was how right it felt. He had to find a way out, some sort of solution. He knew he would, he always had. All he needed was a bit more time.

“I don’t want to tell Rey any details,” Ben grunted at some point, stopping Hux’s train of thought.

He turned to the Hunter and sneered. “Well, you don’t have to go into the juicy parts.”

“You know what I mean,” Ben scoffed and bumped his shoulder into Hux playfully. They walked in blessed silence for a few more minutes before Ben broke it. “It’s weird, how cool she took it.”

“She’s very smart. I think she suspected it long before we knew.”

“I’m scared of her sometimes,” Ben admitted, causing Hux to let out a short laugh.

“I don’t blame you, there’s a lot-”

Hux suddenly froze all of a sudden, staring into the surrounding blackness, his senses heightened.

“What?” Ben hissed, alarmed.

He readied his bow. Hux stepped in front of him, in a subconscious attempt to shield him. He squinted and was shocked to have a pair of crimson eyes stare back at him. He had his fangs and claws out, but a second later, he realized there were several other pairs of crimson eyes, therefore his chances of winning flew out the window. Oh no.

Brendol Hux stepped out of the shadows and Hux paled. No, no, no. This couldn’t be.

“Well done, son,” he said, but there was no praise in his cold tone.

This was as close to appreciation as Hux would ever get. And he didn’t want it, not now, not ever.

“Claude?” Ben’s voice was strangled and laced with dread. “What’s the meaning of this?”

Hux knew there was no way he’d be able to protect Ben, let alone escape. They were surrounded by a whole squad of Purebloods. The only way was to act along, and Hux didn’t take joy in what he was about to do, even though that would be their only chance.

“Leader Snoke will be most pleased, despite taking your time,” Brendol said with a cold sneer.

Hux could feel Ben tensing behind him, putting the pieces together. He didn’t have to say a word, Hux could feel his whole body radiating with hatred and betrayal, and he didn’t need to turn to know that a silver arrow was aimed straight at his back. He wanted nothing more than to explain, to confess everything, to grab Ben and flee and never look back, but it was too late. It would be suicide. There was nothing left but to stick to the plan, and Hux had to accept his fate. How could he ever think he deserved more? How could he let himself believe he had a chance? How could he be so naïve? He played out the most brilliant plan of deception and fell into his own trap.

“You bastard!” Ben shouted, throwing himself at Hux, screaming and slashing and hitting. “You fucking traitor! How could you?!”

Hux deflected his blows easily, wincing when his eyes flashed crimson and realization hit Ben. He grabbed Ben’s arm, twisted it and forced him to his knees, slapping him hard across the cheek. He couldn’t show weakness, not with this many of his father’s underlings and with his father himself there. He may have tried to flee if it weren’t for his father. He may have had a chance to talk himself out of it, if his father wasn’t there. But he was, staring at Hux with a cold and leveled gaze, examining his every move, his reaction. Hux knew he had to do what needed to be done if he wanted to live another day.

Ben gasped as his face took a sudden turn and then glared back at Hux defiantly. “We trusted you, you filthy monster. _I_ trusted you!”

Hux detected panic and despair in Ben’s almost hysterical tone, nearly wincing again. It didn’t matter, he told himself over and over. It had been a dream–a beautiful one–and now he had to wake up and face reality. He was a vampire general and Ben was a Hunter, there was no way in a million years that it–whatever they had–would end well.

Brendol sneered at Ben from behind Hux. “That was the plan.”

Ben was about to attack him, but he was immediately held down by two vampires, whose names Hux didn’t care to remember. An odd feeling of emptiness spread through his body and he watched Ben’s pathetic struggle emotionlessly.

“No, Claude, please, you can’t do this, you can’t-”

“My name is not Claude,” Hux said coldly, punching Ben once again, praying to knock him out; he didn’t, Ben was too strong to go down after a few hits.

Hux turned away, but not fast enough to miss how something just broke in Ben. He knew that gaze would haunt him forever, another nightmare to spend eternity with.

Ben started shouting again, the words ‘traitor’ and ‘bastard’ and ‘monster’ striking too close to Hux’s cold heart, but he walked away firmly. Soon, the shouting turned to muffled broken sounds and then into nothing as Ben fell unconsciously to the hard ground. Hux needed all his willpower not to turn around.

For the first time since decades, Hux wished he weren’t so good at hiding his emotions. He didn’t want this to happen. He had planned it, yes, but he changed his mind on the way, a luxury he clearly could not afford. It was too late anyway. He not only failed his mission as far as he was concerned, but he had also failed Ben. He had lost his chance and he would have to live the rest of his immortal life with that burden.

*

Hux looked around the crypt. Everything felt so alien, the marble pillars, the red candles, the velvet tapestries, even his polished black coffin. It was almost noon but he couldn’t fall asleep, his mind a mess, thoughts racing, emotions swimming, memories getting tangled up. The guilt nagging at him was unbearable. First, he had failed his kind, his blood, and then he failed Ben, and quite frankly, Hux couldn’t decide which one was worse, not that he had a choice. He had to force all his useless, distracting feelings down and lock them away somewhere very deep, so he could start thinking reasonably. He must have spent too much time with the humans and it confused him. He had befriended with the prey and now felt shame for acting like a predator. He acted like he was something which he wasn’t and now it was time to suffer the consequences.

Hux was a predator, he was a coldblooded, heartless killer of the night, he was the general in Snoke’s army, and he was one of the best strategists. He fought hard to achieve everything and it wouldn’t be worth to risk losing it, not even for Ben. Also, he better forget those stupid dreams and his crazy speculations. Dwelling on the past did no good. He had to carry on with his life. They had a war to win and Hux did plan on winning. Ben would have died anyway, if not now, then in ten, twenty, forty years later–what did it matter? What was a weak human’s life compared to eternity? A mere glimpse. But no matter how hard Hux fought to forget everything, when he finally did fall asleep, he was haunted by Ben’s broken, betrayed gaze and the strange woman in the evening dress.

Hux woke a few hours later, just before sunset. His head was spinning once again and he gritted his teeth and forced himself not to think of anything. He had no intentions of being declared a traitor and then executed. ‘Duty before everything’, his father used to lecture him, and even though Hux hated him with all his might, it was true. What would he say if he knew Hux was having second thoughts because of a Hunter? Hux could never live with that shame.

He decided to occupy himself with work. Surely, there must be loads of reports since he had left and he wasn’t mistaken. Stepping into his study, there was a huge pile of folders and papers waiting for him on his mahogany desk and Hux dived into it like a maniac, glad for the distraction.

By morning, he was back to his old self, more or less. He was confident to erase every doubt as time went by; he just had to be patient. He still had those disturbing images popping up in his mind randomly, but he stubbornly ignored them. The Hunters messed with his head and he nearly lost himself, but he wasn’t that easily manipulated. He was strong, loyal, evil. Those weaklings had no idea of real power. No wonder they were losing the war when they spent their free time playing drinking games and watching silly movies instead of training and preparing. Hux was grateful his father had appeared and showed him the light in the darkness, saving him from embarrassing his family. Who knows what crazy ideas Hux may had got if he stayed longer.

Hux heard heavy boots clanging against the floor and, soon, Mitaka entered after a firm knock. Hux couldn’t help the sudden feel of déjà vu.

“Sir, the Supreme Leader demands your presence.”

Hux nodded and dismissed him, making sure to sigh only when Mitaka was out of earshot. He clutched his fist and tried to take deep breaths, chanting ‘I can do this’ in his head over and over until he truly believed it.

Snoke was just as ugly and creepy as he remembered, but there was this sudden feeling of disgust which hadn’t been there before. Hux couldn’t explain why and he did an excellent job at concealing his true opinion. Snoke was standing at the window, gazing at the slowly approaching sunrise. Hux closed the door promptly and took a few steps closer, waiting patiently.

Snoke spoke after a few minutes of tense silence, his tone cold and dry like sandpaper. “Why do we fight this war?”

Hux immediately knew it was a test. “It’s time for us to rule the world,” he replied after putting his thoughts together cautiously.

Snoke nodded. “And why do the Hunters fight us?”

Hux gripped his own wrist tightly behind his back, while saying, “They believe we don’t have the right. They refuse to bow to us and admit our superiority.”

Snoke nodded again, his beady eyes piercing a hole in Hux. “What do you think of them?”

Hux resisted the urge to swallow and only gripped his wrist tighter, nearly drawing blood. “They’re all pathetic weaklings,” he stated firmly.

“And what do we do with the weak?”

“We kill them.”

“Exactly.” It was a warning. Snoke walked to his armchair–which looked very much like a throne–in the middle of the room and sat down. His tone grew softer, almost caring, but Hux wasn’t fooled by it. “You have done well, my son, although I must admit, I had my doubts.” Hux stayed silent and Snoke went on. “I understand that the nature of your mission may had a strong effect on you.”

“I can assure you, Supreme Leader, my faith lies in my kind.”

Snoke sneered amused. “You have not grown attached to them?”

“Of course not, I despise them.”

“Good, good. Then I presume you will be pleased to hear that Ben Solo will die soon.”

Hux felt a lump in his throat. He had expected it–he was surprised Ben wasn’t already dead–but he still couldn’t prepare enough for hearing it. Snoke was still testing his loyalty.

“I hold no feelings for the boy.”

Snoke hummed and Hux fought the urge to turn away from his scrutinising look. He held his ground as long as it was necessary, staring back at Snoke confidently.

“Excellent,” Snoke said at last, and then gestured at Hux dismissively.

Hux wasn’t sure if Snoke was convinced, but he didn’t say anything, only bowed and turned on his heels, eager to leave the chamber. On his way out, he caught a glimpse at a sword on display on the wall and his stomach did a back flip. It had a bat-shaped hilt made of black diamonds. It took Hux all his might not to stop dead in his tracks but he kept going, only instead of going back to his crypt, he headed towards the Archives. That strange feeling was gnawing at him. Doubt. And there was something else. Hope. Though what he was hoping for, Hux had no idea.

He spent the whole day looking for any relevant information on Palpatine and his descendants. Aside from his attempt at turning a Hunter and then getting a death sentence for it, Hux found nothing. There was no record of Palpatine’s bloodline afterwards, and very little before. But that wasn’t everything. What worried Hux even more was that he hadn’t found anything about Snoke’s upbringing. He was someone from the Clave, who led the hearing and declared Palpatine guilty. After that, he was chosen as leader, since the vampires didn’t fancy following traditions anymore, and also there was apparently no direct descendant of King Palpatine. Snoke had to be a Pureblood, though, since only they could have such high position, but it was rather controversial. Purebloods were proud of their ancestors and you could trace a Pureblood’s family back nearly thousands of years. Something was missing, or what Hux assumed with growing suspicion, never existed. He remembered hearing of tales of Palpatine having a daughter he had kept a secret, but there was no proof. Yet, it had never felt more real.

Hux came to a crazy conclusion, based on the information he had, or rather, the lack of it, and his weird dreams. What if Snoke rose to power by claiming Palpatine guilty? Lies and deception were his forte. What if he, Hux, was the son of Palpatine’s daughter and Snoke killed her, too, but spared Hux for some reason? It didn’t explain Brendol Hux, surely his father had to remember, but it could be he was suffering from the same memory loss as Hux. It was crazy, but it made sense somehow. Hux had to find out the truth, and he needed people he could trust.

Maybe, just maybe, he could even save Ben. Snoke planned to kill him soon, that’s what Hux had been told. But why wait? He could have killed Ben already, what was Snoke waiting for? What was so special about Ben?

_The Blood Moon._

Hux dropped the leather-bound book and it fell to the table with a loud ‘thud’. Oh God. Snoke was planning to sacrifice Ben. Hux had no idea why, but he didn’t need to know. All he knew was that he had to save Ben, and not only for himself, but for the sake of the vampire clan.

An idea popped up in his mind. Rey had spoken of some kind of vault and a ruined mansion in Germany. He had a feeling he would find answers there. But first of all, he needed help, and there were only two vampires he completely trusted with his life.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry the updates are getting less frequent, I'll try my best. Side note: Luke is officially in the tags now, yay!
> 
> I've been waiting to say this, Welcome aboard the angst ship!
> 
> Huge thanks to my beta [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)
> 
> Please check out [the pretty aesthetic](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) made by [my bestie](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/)

“Let me get this straight. You expect me to commit high treason because you have a hunch?” Phasma stated calmly, her arms crossed over her chest, blue eyes boring into Hux.

“There’s something fishy about Snoke, you said it yourself,” Hux reminded her.

She gave him a skeptical look. “And you nearly had me executed for it.”

“I threatened you, there’s a difference,” Hux claimed.

Phasma deadpanned. “And you based this insane theory on- what? A book the Hunters possess and some weird dreams.”

“I know it sounds crazy-”

“It does!”

“-But it feels right, trust me.”

“And since when do you care about right and wrong?” Hux opened his mouth only to close it again. Phasma had a point. She frowned. “Is it about the Hunter boy?”

Her tone was surprisingly even, not a hint of accusation in it. Hux didn’t feel like talking about it.

“If what I assume is true, then Snoke is a threat to all of us. Look at us, we’re at war with the Hunters.”

“We’ve always been at war with them,” Phasma pointed out.

Hux shook his head and retorted, “Not like this. There’s never been this much bloodshed and torture before.”

She thought about it. “That still doesn’t answer my question.”

“It’s not about the boy,” Hux said at last.

“But you care about him,” Phasma observed.

Hux growled. “What do you want me to say? That for some crazy, surreal reason I do? That I, who always despised humans, feel something for a bloody Hunter?!”

“Yes, exactly!” Phasma snapped. Hux felt embarrassed. She continued in a quieter tone, “If your plan fails, we’ll be tortured and executed. I’d like to know what I’m dying for.”

“I know,” Hux sighed, running his hand through his neatly combed hair.

He must look pathetic. Phasma would be right to go straight to Snoke and report him. The silence stretched longer and longer, driving Hux crazy. She was clearly weighing their chances. Hux knew the odds.

“My father used to know Palpatine. He was one of the few vampires that stayed loyal to him even after the scandal. He died soon after Palpatine. Killed by Hunters, they said, but I never believed it.”

Hux raised his head and stared at Phasma, stunned. “I didn’t know,” he said lamely.

She scoffed. “It’s not something you can state without paying for it.”

“I’m sorry,” Hux whispered.

Phasma went silent for a while again, but when she finally spoke, she was sneering. “You better be the real prince.” Hux’s face lit up and he nearly hugged her if it wasn’t for the silent warning glare. His hands dropped, but he was still smiling gratefully. “So, what’s your great plan?”

“You get as many Turned as you can control,” Hux said. “Don’t trust anyone. I’m sure Snoke will have the sacrificial ceremony in secret. We will raid it. You distract the guards, I kill Snoke.” Phasma listened intently, nodding and humming in approval. “Before that, I will go to Germany with Mitaka, see this vault for myself.”

“How will you find it?”

“I’ll ask the Hunters to help.”

“And will they? They’d rather kill you.”

“I will persuade them.”

“Well, have you talked to Mitaka yet?”

“No, he doesn’t need to know all the details.”

She nodded in agreement. “I really hope you’re right.”

Hux sighed. In all his life, he was used to following orders; first his father’s, then Snoke’s. He never did anything rash, never took huge risks, always had everything planned out, and he had the comfort of certainty. He was about to risk _everything_ , he bet everything on one gamble and it was scary, but also, in some sort of odd way, liberating.

When Hux finally looked at Phasma, his eyes were gleaming with determination and he answered firmly, “I am.”

*

The guilt was gnawing at her. It was all her fault and there was no point to deny that. She was naïve enough to befriend the enemy and, as a result, she had brought doom on all of her loved ones. She was nothing more than a silly girl. Even when Ben and Claude hadn’t returned from the mission, Rey’s first thought was that they must have been ambushed. She was worried for both of them. Then, as it turned out, there were no signs of fighting, though they did find a bit of a blood, which turned out to be Ben’s. Claude would never go down without a fight unless… And that was when realization knocked the wind out of Rey.

Claude had deceived them all and betrayed them. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together and if Rey hadn’t been so blinded by benevolence, she might have seen through Claude’s lies sooner. Ben was killed, or worse, getting tortured somewhere, barely holding it together. At first, the possibility and the mental image caused Rey to throw up violently and if it weren’t for Poe, she’d still be lying on the bathroom floor, crying and screaming helplessly. Then she somehow got herself together for her meeting with Luke. Duty was duty and she couldn’t afford self-pity. She had to focus more than ever, maybe Ben wasn’t beyond saving. Maybe, there was something in that vault, a clue, a weapon, something, _anything_ , that would help. Rey desperately wanted it to be true because their chances of saving Ben wore thin by every passing second.

When Luke greeted her at the edge of the forest where he had made camp and wrapped Rey into a strong embrace, she broke down again, crying into her father’s shoulder and clinging onto him in agony. Luke had never been very good with emotions, but for once, he did just what Rey needed–he didn’t let go.

“It’s not fair,” she sobbed, letting go of Luke, but keeping him close. “If I hadn’t insisted on Ben accepting Claude, none of this would have happened.”

Luke only smiled sadly and squeezed Rey’s shoulder. “We’ll do our best.”

It wasn’t reassuring, but it was the best promise that could be made and Rey appreciated it.

Luke hadn’t been able to find the exact location of the vault, but he was able to narrow it down. He explained to Rey that it had to be underground under the ruins, but it would be hard to find, since only the top of the remaining part of the mansion was visible above ground. They spent a whole day digging.

Rey found comfort in the silence and the heavy work. They didn’t talk much, Luke wasn’t exactly loquacious and Rey had no idea what to say to her father, who disappeared for two years without a word. There was just too much to talk about and neither of them felt like starting.

The next morning, Luke left to meditate and Rey decided to take a walk close to the ruins, attempting to clear her head. It was a gloomy morning, dark clouds hiding the sun, threatening with rain. It was surprisingly quiet, the silence before a storm. She was staring at the huge trees, some of them centuries old, as if they would provide an answer. She had a feeling Ben was still alive, though it might as well had just been wishful thinking. And even if he was, Rey hoped he’d die soon. There was hardly anything more horrible than being held captive by vampires.

Rey knew she had to stop blaming herself. It wasn’t her fault. Claude had lied and they all fell for it just because he had saved Poe. She saw it all clearly now, it was just a smart plan, and a very effective one, if she wanted to be honest. He tried to appeal to their humanity and succeeded.

There was a loud crash all of a sudden and a strangled yelp, then silence. Rey tensed and pulled her dagger from her holster, cursing herself for not bringing her sword with her. An eerie silence settled in and she clutched her dagger tight, approaching their small camp on light feet.

“Dad?” she whispered, glancing around. It was almost eleven in the morning, it couldn’t be a vampire. Claude told them even Purebloods couldn’t stay out long in daylight. She felt so stupid all of a sudden. Claude had deceived them all and she still relied on information he had provided. Her heart was beating faster as she neared the tent and saw Luke lying on the ground, motionless, a dark shadow standing over him. “Claude,” she hissed and the figure turned, throwing his hood back and revealing blazing orange hair. She narrowed her eyes but couldn’t help glancing at Luke worried. “What have you done to him?!” she demanded, pointing the dagger at Claude.

Hux held his hands up in surrender. “It’s Hux, actually,” he said calmly, then beckoned at Luke, adding, “He’ll be fine, I just have to talk to you.”

“You bloody traitor!” she snapped, stepping closer.

“Look, I know-”

He couldn’t finish because Rey sprung at him, slashing at him viciously while screaming “You liar! I’ll kill you, God help me, even if it’s the last thing I do!”

Hux was dodging the attacks easily and terror swept through Rey. He shouldn’t be able to fight her off that easily, as if she was only a child, not when-

Hux caught the blade, the silver burning his skin and drawing blood. His eyes flashed crimson and Rey’s face grew white.

“Pureblood,” she said weakly, wondering why Claude–apparently Hux–didn’t move to attack.

“Yes, and Ben’s alive for now,” Hux said calmly, turning the blade away from his chest, twisting it from Rey’s hand and dropping it on the forest floor.

Rey felt vulnerable and took several steps back, but never took her eyes off of Hux. “Why should I believe you?” she snarled, glancing at her dagger, trying to find a way to get it back.

Hux followed her line of sight and stepped on the dagger, sighing. “You have no reason to trust me, but I’m your only chance at saving him.”

“You betrayed us. Betrayed him!”

“I did and now I want to make things right.”

“You’re a monster!” Rey screamed, tears burning in the back of her eyes; she didn’t want to listen, didn’t want Hux to get in her head.

“I’ll show you the vault,” Hux offered out of the blue.

Without waiting for Rey’s reaction, he turned around and headed towards the ruins. Rey rushed to Luke, making sure he was okay. Hux wasn’t lying, he was still alive, only knocked unconscious. She stared after Hux, torn, then picked up her dagger and followed.

Hux was standing in the middle of the broken walls and burnt timber, searching his memories. He had a dream, or rather, a memory of the vault. He had walked to the remains of a dirty statue and knocked it aside without much effort. It revealed a small trapdoor. Rey couldn’t help releasing a small gasp at his strength. They had tried to move that statue with Luke together, but it wouldn’t move an inch. Hux swept it aside as if it was a small bug on his shirt.

Hux tore the door open, revealing a narrow passage deep into the earth. He could feel a sudden rush of air escaping and he had a feeling he was at the right place.

“How-how did you-?”

“I used to live here,” Hux said, his sincere tone laced with sadness which shocked Rey.

Rey had no idea why this affected her at all, or why she thought it was a good idea to trust Hux, but he had been right, he was her only chance to save Ben.

It was cunning of Snoke, to hide in here whatever secret power he had. Not many knew about the existence of this place, which had been in possession of Palpatine’s daughter, and Hux was sure none of them were alive except him and Snoke. Still, he had no idea why Snoke spared his life.

Hux glanced at Rey before crawling into the passage. Rey followed after a bit of hesitation. After a good five minutes, they emerged into a dark, spacious chamber. Hux saw a torch on the wall and lit it, handing it to Rey, who accepted it warily.

There were several chests lined up in one corner, all sizes and shapes, while the walls were covered with safes, some of them hidden behind old, peeling paintings and some of them not. Hux was examining the room, trying to decide where to start. It would take too long to go through everything. He walked up to one of the bigger chests and opened it, starting to dig, while Rey walked to the other side of the room, staring at the boxes placed on broken pillars.

Hux didn’t have to search long because Rey’s terrified squeak signaled she must have found something worthy. He sprang to his feet and was at her side in an instant, causing Rey to jump in surprise. She was pointing at a small glass box with trembling finger.

“Is that a-?”

“Yeah,” Hux said dryly, frowning.

He had expected a lot of evil and disgusting things, but an ashen gray, slowly beating heart was not one of them. He felt sick and, judging by the look on Rey’s face, she was barely keeping it together.

_‘Snoke isn’t a vampire.’_

Their hearts were not grey and most certainly not beating. This had to be some kind of hideous and twisted dark magic.

“It must be destroyed,” Rey stated and marched forward, only to be yanked back by Hux. She stared at him furiously.

“Wait,” he said, eyeing the organ seriously. “He functions without it, if we destroy it, he still might survive.”

Rey frowned. “Who?”

Hux remembered, with a pang of guilt, that he had told so little to Rey about the vampires. “Snoke, our leader. He wants to sacrifice Ben at the night of the Blood Moon. We need a strategy.”

Rey scoffed mockingly. “And should I just let you take it? I don’t think so.”

Hux rubbed his temple. “No, we have to- Let me think.” Snoke planned to kill Ben as part of some sort of sickening rite. If they destroyed the heart right now, there was a good chance Snoke would feel it, and even know that it had been Hux, and then their whole plan would fail and Ben would be killed before Hux could do anything about it. Taking it wasn’t an option either, it would be too risky. What if Snoke could sense if his heart was being moved around? “Timing,” he said at last.

“What?”

“Tomorrow, at midnight. The Blood Moon. You’ll have to destroy it then,” Hux said, looking confident. “I will kill Snoke, and if our timing is right, we can even save Ben.”

Rey crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing Hux skeptically and for a second it reminded Hux of Phasma. “You are insane if you think I trust you with this.”

Hux smiled contently. “You’re not the first one to call me that.” He then added, “Look, I know you will never trust me and I don’t ask you to. You only have my word and I know that’s nothing, but trust me when I say I won’t let Ben die.”

 _‘Even if I can’t save myself, I will save Ben. He’s my only chance at redemption,’_ Hux added in his mind.

Rey was staring at him, deep in thought. It was crazy, irresponsible, and the worst thing ever, but she had to admit what Hux had said made sense, and he was still her only chance to save Ben. Reluctantly, she nodded.

“Tomorrow at midnight. Not a second more.”

“Thank you,” Hux nodded and turned to leave when Rey’s last words stopped him.

“If I ever see you again, I’ll put a stake through your cold heart.”

Hux turned and smiled woefully. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

He left, wondering if it was all because of him that Rey had grown so cold and bitter in only a few days. On his list of regrets, this was one of the most painful ones.

*

Ben had no idea how much time had passed since he was dumped in this hole of a cell, but it was long enough to figure out it was odd no one came to torture him yet. Surely, Claude–or whatever the hell was his real name–provided all the necessary information, but Ben still expected the vampires to torture him, just for fun. His stomach sank at the thought. He prayed his mother figured everything out and they all abandoned HQ before the vampires’ raid. Rey, God, he prayed for her to be fine. He couldn’t live with himself if anything happened to her, even though he knew he would never find out.

He struggled against the chains holding him in place, hanging off the ceiling, but it was useless. He had no idea where he was and he wasn’t naïve enough to think escape would ever be possible. He was hungry and thirsty, but otherwise, he was okay. No open wounds or broken bones, which was surprising, although his jaw did hurt and he immediately remembered why. Anger flooded his veins and he screamed and shouted and cursed. He couldn’t believe he had fallen for not-Claude’s schemes. A small, silly part of him somewhere very deep inside his heart still hoped that Claude will barge in and save him, an event rather unlikely. He betrayed Ben, he betrayed all of them, and hoping it wasn’t true was stupid and pathetic. He couldn’t count on him, or on anyone else, to rescue him. He was all alone.

Time passed and he was slipping in and out of darkness, his mind starting to become weary, his stomach grumbling relentlessly to remind him of hunger, his mouth getting dry like sandpaper, his muscles painfully tense from the unnatural position. He started shouting, asking if anyone was there, asking when they will finally get on with the cutting and punching, mocking them if they were afraid of him, but there had been no reply, not even a whisper or a sound of footsteps or at least a bang on the cell door.

Were the vampires getting some sort of sick satisfaction by locking him up in a basement like some kind of trophy and letting him starve? That was an option definitely to consider, but Ben was well-known amongst them, and he had killed too many of them, there was no way they would let him get away with it so easily. Or could they have plans with him? Did they want to turn him? His stomach twisted at the possibility.

He hated himself more than it could ever be described and, worst of all, he still couldn’t get rid of Claude in his thoughts. Where was he? Was he out there celebrating and bragging about how easy it was to screw the Hunters? How he seduced Ben and made him his bitch? Ben felt nauseous. He was disgusted by the memory of letting not-Claude touch him, kiss him, fuck him. That night in his bedroom seemed like a nightmare now. The vampire Ben had known–thought he had known–didn’t exist anymore, and probably never even existed. He didn’t even know his real name. He didn’t know anything. He was a goddamn idiot, a disgrace of Hunters. He deserved his fate, he only hoped his fellow Hunters got a better one.

When the door opened at last, he thought he was dreaming at first. Two vampires entered and Ben was so weak, he didn’t even try to appear tough. Much to his surprise, they released his chains and he fell hard on the ground, not having enough energy to soften the impact. Then he was hauled up, there were strong, nearly painful grips on his arms, and he was being dragged away, his legs hanging limply. He wasn’t able to take in his surroundings, his vision blackening from time to time, but he was fighting hard with all the will he had left to stay conscious. The dehydration was even worse than his lack of strength. He should have screamed and kicked, but he knew there was no point in it, and he just could not move his limbs.

The vampires took him deeper underground through endless corridors and huge archways before they finally came up to a huge, metal door. They pushed it open easily and Ben suddenly found himself outside, under the night sky, the full moon glowing so bright there were only a couple of stars visible. Ben smiled sadly and thought bitterly, _‘at least I see something beautiful before I die.’_ There were huge pine trees forming a circle around a small clearing, with a smooth, large rock in the middle. Ben dimly noticed several hooded figures standing around that rock and immediately sensed something terrible was about to happen. Still, there would be no point in fighting. He could never stand a chance against seven vampires at his best, let alone his current state.

He was tossed to the floor unceremoniously, and those two vampires left afterward, closing the door. Ben groaned and scrambled to his knees, trying to breathe in the fresh air deeply. He then realized there was another figure standing, right in front of him. This one was taller than the other seven, and his shape cast a sinister shadow over Ben, whose every cell was screaming to run. He couldn’t. The figure pushed his hood back, then crouched down and grabbed Ben’s chin, forcing him to look at him. Terror flooded Ben’s veins and his breath got caught in his throat as his auburn eyes connected to maliciously glistering dark ones. It was the most repulsive creature Ben had ever had the bad luck to see; skin ashen and blistering, fingers bony and wrinkled, form grotesque.

“Ben Solo,” he rasped, his breath making Ben to want to vomit. “I have been waiting for this moment.” Ben shuddered under his gaze which was piercing through him, almost as if he could see right into his soul. “I can,” he said in a slow and hoarse tone. He smiled, revealing his nearly black teeth. Ben gasped, horrified. This creature looked malicious, clearly taking pleasure in Ben’s reaction. “You have every right to be scared.”

“I’m not-not scared,” Ben hissed through gritted teeth, the effort of speaking causing him a lot of pain.

The cold, mirthless laugh send a shiver up Ben’s spine, it was like nails at a chalkboard. “Poor child, your suffering will end soon.” It was clear he held no sympathy for Ben. He gestured towards one of his underlings, who grabbed Ben and made him stand, while the hideous creature walked back to the rock. Ben wondered what kind of thing it was, clearly not human or vampire. “Your sacrifice will make me stronger than ever,” he announced as a matter of fact. Ben glanced around in panic, his instinct kicking in. Vampires never performed rituals, Ben was sure of it. What was going on? What did they want from him? It was no good, he had to leave, had to run, get away, quickly, escape, or kill himself before they could violate his mind and body. The creature kept on speaking, “Your blood is more powerful than you could ever imagine.”

What blood? A Hunter’s blood was poison to vampires, it was no good for anything.

“Ah, and that is where you, my dear son, are mistaken. I am no vampire.”

Ben had no idea where his sudden strength came from, but he yanked himself free from the vampire’s grip and made for the door. He barely made it two meters away when a vampire appeared in front of him and kneeled into his stomach so hard, Ben doubled over. He stumbled to his feet, ducking another hard blow before someone kicked him in the back and placed their leg over it, making sure Ben stayed down. He was coughing and kicking and punching helplessly, his face covered in dirt, his bones screaming in pain. Tears started to run down his face, mixing with blood and mud. His captor grabbed him by the collar and yanked him upright, Ben catching a glimpse of his face and freezing. It was the person who cornered him and Claude the other night. He called Claude his son, could it be-?

He was brought to the huge rock in the middle of the circle and was forced down on it, lying on his back, the creature looming over him menacingly.

“You will die, Ben Solo, and there is nothing you _or_ your filthy kind can do to _stop me_.”

Ben struggled and screamed and cried and cursed, but it was no use. Help wasn’t coming and he had never thought he would be this afraid in the face of death. If only he hadn’t trusted Claude…


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: One more chapter then an epilogue and it's over. Hope you will like these last chapters. Thanks for all the lovely comments, I promise I will answer once I have time. School and work are keeping me super busy.
> 
> Thanks [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever) for beta-ing. What would I do without you?

Phasma threw the door open, not bothering to knock. “It’s started.”

Hux nodded and sprang to his feet, telling Phasma to stay and leaving before she could ask where he was going. He approached Snoke’s study in haste. First of all, he needed a weapon and there was a certain one he had wanted. Minutes later, he was heading back for Phasma, his fingers enclosed around the bat-shaped hilt. It fit right in his hand, as if it had been made for him, and if his intuition was right, it had indeed been for him. He had no idea how he could be so sure about his whole ‘theory’, but his instinct was telling him it was right. He listened to it. He was the son of Palpatine’s daughter, he was the rightful heir to the throne. He was the Vampire Prince.

Phasma joined him on the corridor, almost two dozen Turned following them, more than Hux had expected Phasma to be able to control. Hux had never been nervous in his whole life and he didn’t plan to start it now. He placed complete trust in Rey to do her part, all he had to do was focus on his own.

They had reached the metal door and Hux barked at the guard, “Step aside.”

“General Hux, you’re not-”

Hux cut them off in half a fraction of a second, without any warning. He had no time to waste. He braced himself for whatever nightmare was waiting inside and then kicked the door open, barging in with his sword held up in attack.

For a brief moment, there was complete silence, Snoke narrowing his ugly eyes at him, the Purebloods staring at him in confusion, Ben lying limply on a rock, on the verge of dying.

“Kill them,” Snoke ordered.

The place erupted in chaos. Phasma and her squad of Turned swarmed the small clearing and clashed with Snoke’s chosen Purebloods, claws and fangs shining, snarling and yelling, not hesitating to kill.

Hux was knocked aside and fell onto the ground, with his attacker right on top of him, trying to rip out his throat. Hux tried to defend himself with the sword, but with such close proximity, it wasn’t working. He took a few blows to the head before finally kicking the vampire in the gut, trying to roll them over. He was pinning Hux down with all his might, snarling viciously. It was taking too long, Hux thought annoyed. He couldn’t afford to fool around, he had to kill Snoke and save Ben.

As if on command, Phasma was right behind his attacker and yanked him off, sending him flying against a tree. Hux jumped to his feet and ran to Snoke, who had his hands right over Ben’s heart. There was something silver and lilac shimmering between Ben’s chest and his rotten hands and Ben was screaming soundlessly, body completely motionless, eyes full of terror and defeat.

“You monster!” Hux roared as he marched at him, sword at the ready.

Hux threw himself at Snoke, pushing him to the ground. Ben still wasn’t moving, but his mouth and eyes were closed. Hux had no idea what Snoke was doing, but Ben would surely die soon if Hux couldn’t kill Snoke first.

“You scum!” Snoke punched Hux so hard he saw stars, and then he threw him away like a rag doll. “You will never defeat me!”

Hux got on his feet and steadied himself, jumping at Snoke and slashing at him with the sword while shouting, “You killed my family!”

Snoke pushed the blade aside and grabbed Hux by the throat, his bony fingers surprisingly strong. Hux choked. “You ungrateful worm,” Snoke hissed, raising Hux off the ground. The sword slipped from Hux’s grip and his hands flew to Snoke’s hand, trying to peel his iron-grip off. “You think I didn’t know of your pathetic plan? My people are feasting on the girl’s blood by now.”

For a moment, Hux’s eyes widened in terror and glanced at Ben, who was still lying on the rock, motionless, but his eyes were now open and he was staring at Hux and Snoke. His mouth opened for a silent plea. “Claude.”

Hux closed his fingers around Snoke’s hand, using all his strength to break the bone. “You think I left them unprotected?” He growled and applied even more pressure on his grip just as he kicked at Snoke. It was enough to soften his hold and Hux fell to the ground. He reached for the sword and, just as Snoke leapt at him, drove it straight through his heart, or rather, the place where it should have been. “For my mother,” Hux hissed, twisting the sword, relishing in the feeling of driving cold metal through skin and bones.

Snoke was an abomination who corrupted everyone’s mind and concealed his identity on purpose, and he had been able to even conceal Hux’s true identity from everyone. It was time he paid for his sins. For a second, Snoke’s eyes widened in horror and then he sneered. Hux paled. No, no, no, no, _no_!

Grabbing the blade, Snoke pulled it out of his chest, the metal coated in something slick and green. He caught Hux by the throat again and slammed him down against the rock next to Ben, pointing the sword at his heart, saying, “You are as stupid as your parents.”

Hux glanced at Ben helplessly then back at Snoke. He wasn’t scared, but furious. Everything had been for nothing. He failed, failed his parents, failed his heritage, failed the Hunters and Phasma and he failed Ben. His stupid actions condemned everyone to death. He should never have discovered the truth. He knew it was all true by now, but what use was it? He would die just like his mother.

“Prepare to die, _Prince_.”

Hux didn’t close his eyes.

*

“Do you think it’s wise to trust him?” Luke asked quietly, staring at the peeling painting on the wall across from him. It must have been a beautiful scenery once, with huge pine trees and probably something else, a person maybe, but it wasn’t recognizable anymore.

Luke and Rey were sitting on the broken pillars at the vault’s entrance, still a good twenty minutes left until midnight. Rey was staring down at her sword, scowling hard. She shook her head as she whispered, “No, definitely not wise, but I-” She looked at her father, her expression a mixture of determination and anxiety. “Remember when you told me to always listen to my gut feeling?” Luke nodded silently. “I have this, feeling. It’s crazy, but I, I just know. He’s not evil.”

“Didn’t he kidnap Ben?”

She sighed. “We can’t be sure.”

“He did deceive you all,” Luke pointed out, his tone neutral.

Luke wasn’t accusing anybody, simply stating facts. It was true.

“It was his plan, originally, but, I think something changed him. Or someone.” Rey smiled sadly at the memory of Ben, and she shook her head, harshly reminding herself that Ben wasn’t dead yet. “Why else would he help us?”

Luke shrugged. “It could be part of another plan.”

Rey grimaced. Luke had a point, although Rey didn’t share his opinion. Yes, Hux may have intended to kill Ben when he first got into the headquarters, but then something happened, and Rey could never forget the way Hux nearly pleaded for her help. Rey doubted Hux was capable of love, but he cared for Ben and was terrified of losing him, for whatever strange reason. It was confusing, and Rey didn’t expect Luke to understand. He was a nice guy, but not very good with emotions. That’s why he left, because he thought Rey didn’t need him anymore, and instead of asking, he was just gone one day, out on a secret mission the next. Rey learned to live with it, learned how to handle it, but Luke was more of a good uncle than a father. She had made peace with that, but it still sometimes hurt, especially because Rey wasn’t the only one Luke had left behind.

“It’s our only chance to save Ben,” she said at last.

There was silence, and Rey started poking at the leaves with the tip of her sword while Luke kept staring at the painting, lost in thought. Rey preferred not to think currently. She just wanted to get this over with, kill that monster Hux had been talking about, and get Ben back at last.

She frowned, realizing it was unnaturally quiet and she got to her feet, alarmed. Luke stood up as well, squinting around in the dark forest. There was a sick, mocking laugh and a figure appeared out of the shadows, eyes gleaming red, white fangs shining in the moonlight. Luke drew his sword, stepping in front of Rey protectively and Rey stepped closer to the entrance, blocking it with her body. Three more figures–vampires–appeared behind the first one, all of them sneering and chuckling. A chill went up Rey’s spine. Four vampires against two Hunters, they didn’t exactly have a stellar chance of survival.

“You silly worms,” the vampire, who Rey assumed was the leader of the small pack, spoke in a low growl, his tone mocking and disgusted. “Siding with that traitor _Hux_ ,” he spat the name, “even stupider than I’d expect.”

All of a sudden a huge, black wolf leapt over Rey, landing right in front of Luke, startling both of them a little. There was snarling and growling coming from the trees, and soon an entire pack of wolves separated the vampires from Luke and Rey. The vampires bared their fangs at the animals, growling back at them. Rey frowned and nearly dropped her sword as a voice spoke in her mind.

‘ _Hux sent me to protect you. Go and destroy the heart._ ’ She stood frozen. ‘ _GO!_ ’ The wolf barked.

Rey flinched, then turned around and ran into the vault, hearing cries and howls and then the fight had begun. She didn’t have the luxury to pay attention to that as she had more urgent matters at hand.

Rey hastily removed the lid of the glass box and took out the heart, wincing as her skin came in contact with the ugly, rapidly beating organ. She squeezed it hard in order not to drop it as she drew a dagger from her belt and raised it shakily, then tightened her grip. This was it. She brought the dagger down to pierce the heart, but to her horror it was like poking at a sponge. Nothing happened. It didn’t even scratch the thing. No. She put it down on the cold floor and stabbed it, again and again, but she couldn’t do any damage at all. In despair, she stepped on it, but still nothing. Panic started to creep up on her. She had a small gun and fired at it, but the silver bullet simply bounced off. No, no, NO!

Think!

What could kill a vampire? Silver, she had already tried, just like a stake to the heart. Fire. She scrambled for a pack of matches and tried to light it, but although the flames engulfed the heart, nothing else happened. Sunlight? There was no way to get it at night, and it was already a minute after midnight. There had to be a way! She was trembling, sweat beading on her temple and she was gasping for air. Ben could die any second, maybe he already did, because she couldn’t deal with a bloody monster’s evil heart.

There had to be something else, some other way to hurt a vampire, or whatever this creature was. Her mind was spinning as she tried to recite every book and text she had ever read about how to kill a vampire or, at least, how to damage it. Silver, stakes, sunshine, garlic, holy water… blood. Of course, a Hunter’s blood was poison to vampires. It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.

Rey grabbed the hilt of the dagger to cut her palm and she gasped in pain as there was a steady flow of blood down her hand. She grabbed the heart with it, turning it in her palm, trying to cover it with as much blood as she could. Strangely, the heart turned to a darker shade of grey, and though it was still beating, it got slower. Her blood weakened it, she thought, momentarily feeling triumphant. She tried to pierce it again, but it still didn’t work. Her face fell. There had to be another way, her blood worked after all. Hux had said he wasn’t sure what Snoke was, but some kind of monster, who had forced himself on the vampires and twisted their minds. Maybe her blood wasn’t enough, maybe they needed more, a different one, a different Hunter or, a different creature. A crazy idea crossed her mind, one that might even work.

Rey clutched the heart tight against her chest and ran out of the vault, back to the fight. Luke was fighting a vampire with the help of a wolf. There was blood trailing down his forehead and one of his legs looked rather limp, but he was able to hold his own, with the assistance of the wolf. There were two bodies on the ground, torn apart, their organs turned out and blood splattered all over the forest bed, as well as several wolves. She suppressed the sickness rising in her stomach and turned her attention towards the leader of the wolves, who was still fighting with the vampire leader. The wolf was bleeding from several wounds and rasping in pain, but he was still fighting. The vampire appeared just as bad. Rey dropped the dagger and took out her gun, aiming at the vampire. She fired several shots, slowing the vampire just enough so the wolf could rip out his throat, then fell back on the ground, whining pathetically.

Rey rushed over, kneeling next to him. He was shaking and trembling and, a second later, a vampire, a rather pretty one, lay in front of Rey’s knees. He was in a really bad shape: blood trickling down his chin, his clothes torn and covered in blood, several of his wounds open and appearing lethal at first glance.

“I need your help,” Rey said, grabbing the vampire’s hand. The young man frowned at her. “Your blood, it might destroy the heart,” she explained curtly while she pressed the organ against one of the bleeding wounds. He had a hard time to keep his eyes open, but he forced himself to and they both held their breaths as the organ stiffened and turned black. It beat once, twice, and then stopped. There was a moment of tense silence, and then there was a crack along with a haunting scream coming right from the heart and it turned to ashes. Rey fell back and laughed. “We did it.”

“Yeah, we did,” the vampire said, managing a weak smile before closing his eyes.

The happiness disappeared from Rey’s eyes as soon as it came, and she looked at the badly injured vampire worriedly. “No, no, please, don’t die,” she whispered while starting to work on trying to stop the bleeding; Rey couldn’t let him die.

It was crazy, he was a vampire and still the enemy, but Rey just didn’t have it in her to abandon someone, who risked his life to protect them, even if it was under Hux’s order. Especially if it was under Hux’s order.

*

Snoke grabbed at his chest and went numb, his mouth open for an unworldly shriek. Hux knew it was his now-or-never chance. He easily twisted the sword from Snoke’s grasp and, with a steady and merciless slash, cut off Snoke’s head.

It was over.

A sudden silence embraced him as the fighting stopped, Snoke’s minions staring at the head terrified, knowing they were next. Phasma locked eyes with Hux, looking relieved, and there was a hint of pride in her gaze as well. Hux nodded with a slight, content smile, and then turned to Ben, who was still lying on the rock limply, but his shaky breath indicated he was still alive. Hux took a step forward, but then the world started to spin all of a sudden. He stumbled, and then the ground came close rapidly and his vision went pitch black.

Memories were swimming in front of Hux’s eyelids at a sickening speed; about his mother, about his real father, the burning mansion, his childhood. His brain was about to explode as it was overflowing with information, everything finally falling into place.

_His father, the real Brendol Hux, not the impostor Snoke had forced onto Hux, was standing beside his bed, looking sad. His mother was sitting, holding Hux’s arm and Hux saw her struggle not to show weakness and let the tears escape._

_“You have to run,” Brendol said firmly, the tone in his eyes gentle. “The Clave wants Palpatine’s head. This monster, Snoke, leads the hearing. He has most of the members in his pocket or under a spell.” Brendol took Hux’s mother’s hand and squeezed it tenderly, whispering, “It’s not safe anymore.”_

_“They don’t know about us,” she replied, composing herself, and looking determined. “They don’t know about him.”_

_Hux was glancing between his parents questioningly, knowing he had to stay silent while the adults were trying to work out a solution._

_“It’s only a matter of time. Delia, **please**.” _

_“If what you’re saying is true, then there’s no point of running. We will fight.”_

A sudden rage washed over Hux. So he had been right, Snoke had destroyed his life, took everything and twisted everyone’s minds, and nearly led them into a pointless massacre against the Hunters. Snoke had taken his memories, so he could bend Hux to his will, replaced his father with a bloody traitor and made Hux think it was his father. Snoke only kept him alive, because Hux was the last of the bloodline and assumed he would be useful at some point.

Hux screamed in agony as his body started to burn, then his skin cracked, blood seeping through. It felt like eternity, all he felt was pain and darkness and hate, his memories making him sick. There was something weird, he dazedly felt, his aura was about to change. Suddenly, the top layer of skin vaporised, but it didn’t expose his flesh. No, it was another top layer under the fake one, as if Snoke had forced his whole body into a doll, to conceal his true powers. The pain stopped and Hux stood up, trembling only for a moment. He felt it, his whole existence radiating authority and superiority, demanding respect and obedience.

Hux looked around and found everyone staring at him in awed silence before Phasma knelt, bowing her head, and nearly everyone followed suit. Hux glanced at Ben and saw the fake Brendol trying to gather him up in his arms, foolishly wanting to escape. He flinched under Hux’s stare and put Ben back down before falling to his knees, pleading, “Please, son, you can’t-”

“You’re not my father,” Hux said with measured coldness, ripping out his heart with his bare hands. Nobody dared move. He could feel everyone holding their breaths, and he sensed their fear. Even Phasma shook slightly at his ruthless act. He stepped to her and said, “Rise” in a commanding tone. Phasma did, but kept her gaze fixed on the ground. It was as if with Hux’s spell broken, all vampires remembered the customs and the royal family. “From now on, you’re my second in command,” Hux spoke in a steady tone. Phasma looked at him at last, nodding with amazed gratefulness. Hux picked up Snoke’s decapitated head and handed it to her. “Spread the world. They either pledge their loyalty and service to me, or die.”

Phasma took the head without a second thought. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Leave me,” Hux address everyone and they obeyed without a word, not wanting to end up like Snoke or the impostor of Hux’s father.

Finally left alone, Hux stepped up to Ben and checked his pulse. He was weak and unconscious, but alive. Suppressing a sigh of relief, Hux gathered Ben in his arms, brushing his black hair out of his face. It was time to take him home.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, the long awaited latest chapter! Writing this story caused me a lot of fun and tears, but it was worth every second of the struggle. I hope that you had fun aboard the angst ship, please do not hate me for this one.
> 
> I would like to say thank you for all the people who commented, liked and/or subscribed. It really meant a lot to me, and especially thank you for sticking with me despite the sloppy updates. Also, a big hug and kiss to my beta [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever) who supported me since the first sentence.
> 
> Check out and reblog [the pretty aesthetic](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/post/146070076478/kylux-aesthetic-crimson-stream-written-by) made by [my bestie](http://heylittlearcherboy.tumblr.com/) if you haven't done it already.
> 
> Epilogue is coming soon!

Ben jerked awake, gasping for air. He was blinking rapidly, trying to make something out of his surroundings. He was in a hospital room, but it was strangely similar to the infirmary back in their headquarters. There were several IVs stuck under his skin and he reached for them in panic, wanting to remove them. Someone stopped him. He glanced up at the owner of the gentle hand and frowned confused.

“Rey?” he asked, his tone hoarse.

“It’s all right,” she smiled and carefully pushed him back down on the bed, sitting next to him on a chair. “A lot happened.”

Ben was trying to remember, but it made his head ache. He remembered the vampires, the trap, the dark cell and that monster Snoke and-

“Claude!”

Ben’s shout was between a hiss and a gasp; he was not sure what to make out of the situation.

“His name is Hux, actually. Armitage Hux.”

“What happened?” Ben asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer.

“You should rest.” Rey bit her lip, hesitating. Jessika strongly advised that Ben needed rest and he had to get to know everything little by little, and Rey agreed, but she also knew her cousin and there was no way he’d rest until he got some sort of explanation. She tried to give him the shortest version. “Hux saved you.”

Blood started to boil in Ben’s veins. That traitor! He betrayed them, made a fool out of Ben, used him and everyone else, and then stood by and watched him get beaten up by his bloody vamp friends. He hated Hux with every fiber of his body, that bloody monster- A blurry memory of Claude–Hux–popped up in his mind, Ben watching helplessly as Snoke nearly killed Hux, because he was fighting to save Ben. And then something happened, but Ben wasn’t sure, it might have been a dream, but then the vampires called him ‘his majesty’ and it was weird and alarming, but that was all Ben could remember.

“Apparently, there’s been some sort of uprising within the vampire clan,” Rey continued. “I don’t know much, Hux wouldn’t tell me the details, but it turned out he’s been a vampire prince and now he is their king, and he is willing to negotiate with the Hunters in order to make some sort of peace treaty.”

Ben blinked dumbly. It was a lot to take in. He had so many questions, felt so many emotions. Did Hux betray them? Did he save them? What happened? How did he find out? How come he’s a vampire king? Negotiating for peace? What about his mother, was she willing to form some sort of alliance with those vicious monsters? And why didn’t Hux wait for Ben to wake up? Why did he leave? Did he have feelings for Ben? Did Ben have feelings for Hux?

He wanted answers, but before that, he did need to rest.

*

Hux was looking at the ruins of a mansion he used to live in. So much had happened and he still sometimes confused his real memories with Snoke’s fake ones. Everything was a mess in his mind, but he knew it would clear up soon, and revisiting certain places helped. He didn’t have much time to dwell on things, as he had become extremely busy in the past weeks. He had to hunt down those who supported Snoke, make an example out of every traitor, and to prove to every vampire that he was not a legend or a myth, but very real and capable of leading. One of his first royal declarations was that he ensured a ceasefire with the Hunters and started negotiations for a peace treaty. He wasn’t naïve, they still needed human blood to feed on, but he wanted to end the pointless and savage bloodshed. They needed balance with the Hunters, they were two sides of a same coin, the dark and the light. They needed each other. He entrusted Phasma with the negotiations, not wanting to go anywhere near the Hunters for several reasons. He wasn’t hiding, he wasn’t a coward, but there was no point in meeting any of them and open up freshly healed wounds.

Hux barely had time to visit the mansion, but today he had a feeling he would find something there, a last piece of the puzzle. It was a strange pull he couldn’t ignore. After making the necessary arrangements, he left the castle in Mitaka’s care, who successfully recovered after saving Rey and Luke, though it had been a close call.

“Vampire king, huh?”

Hux felt Ben’s presence long before he spoke, and a lump formed in his throat at the approach, which was uncharacteristic. Ben seemed to be his kryptonite–an expression Hux had learned from one of Finn’s silly comics–because every time he was involved, Hux would feel a little weak. He tried to think of this moment several times, tried to imagine it, played it in his mind over and over, going over every possibility, but now that he had to face him, all of his great and well-thought plans vanished in an instant, leaving that gnawing feeling in his heart. Guilt, regret, hope. Each worse than the previous one.

Hux could tell Ben was hiding his nervousness behind teasing and sarcasm, which always amused him. Some things never changed. Hux turned around, his expression cold and distant.

“What are you doing here?”

Hux had to keep the relief out of his tone upon confirming Ben was well, and very much alive. He had done everything he could, but barely made it to the Hunters’ new headquarters with Ben. He had never been so afraid in his life, not even when Snoke’s subjugates took his home and murdered his mother.

Ben put his hands on his hips and scoffed. “I believe you owe me an explanation.”

“I owe you nothing.”

He couldn’t. Don’t get involved. Don’t get involved!

“Then what about us?” Ben demanded. “Surely you owe me that.”

“There is no ‘us’,” Hux clarified stonily.

Hux didn’t know what Ben expected. A kiss and a hug? Hux asking for forgiveness and Ben granting that, and then they would live happily ever after? Even Ben couldn’t be so foolish. No, they had had their fair share of good times, but it was over now. They both went down a certain road, especially Hux, and there was no coming back from there. There were broken things that could be fixed, but their thing had been broken far beyond repair.

“You saved my life in the end,” Ben pointed out quietly.

“I didn’t kill you. There’s a difference.”

“Bullshit!”

Hux’s eyes flashed crimson and he saw fear crossing Ben’s face for a second. However, his rage was far greater, enough to override his instinct. Hux knew what he had to do, even if it hurt both of them. There was no ‘us’, no future for them.

“Look, I let you live, because your death would gain me nothing. I don’t know what’s going on in your crazy mind, but if you thought I ever had deep feelings for you, then you’re a bigger fool than I thought.”

It was like a punch in the gut and Ben did his best not to take a step back. Hux was right, he was a fool for thinking that this bloodsucker would ever feel something for him aside from pity. Although it felt so real back then, Ben only lied to himself. It was impossible, Hux had never been capable of love and caring, and he would never be. It wasn’t in his nature.

“So it meant nothing to you. I mean nothing to you,” Ben whispered, not even trying to hide he was hurt by Hux’s harsh words.

Hux huffed a cold laugh. “You’re a good fuck, Ben, we had fun times, but you can’t possible think that I, what? Love you?”

Anger swelled up in Ben and before Hux could blink, he fired an arrow at him, shouting, “You bastard! You made me fall for you, because it was fun?!”

Hux caught the arrow in the air and snapped it in half, causing Ben to wince at the sight. He knew Hux wasn’t a simple Turned, but his speed was even greater than a Pureblood’s. He truly was vampire royalty, strong, ruthless and majestic.

“You confused lust with love, whose fault is that?” Hux asked sharply.

Ben was furiously blinking back his tears. There was no way he’d cry in front of Hux. “You monster.”

“I’m a vampire,” Hux stated coldly. “What did you expect?”

Ben hated it; hated Hux, hated himself, hated everything, especially his own idiocy. How could he think even for a second that Hux felt something for him? How could Ben feel something for him, even after everything that happened? It was humiliating. He balled his fists to stop the trembling.

“You should’ve let me die,” Ben hissed.

Knowing there would be no point in fighting, he stormed away, wanting to be as far from Hux as possible, never wanting to see him again. He was a fool, Hux was a cold-hearted monster and he should have known better than to fall for him.

Hux stood there numbly, listening to Ben’s shaky steps quieting and he released a breath he didn’t realise he was holding. It was for the best. Seriously, what did Ben expect? What did Hux expect? A Hunter and a vampire, it would be a disgrace to both their kinds. No, there were unwritten rules that couldn’t be broken, no matter how painful it was.

Hux picked up the arrow he had snapped and turned it between his fingers. It was one of Ben’s handmade ones. Ben deserved better. He would get over it; they would both get over it. Hux wished there could be another way, but there wasn’t. No shortcuts or secret tunnels, only forward, alone. He put the arrow in his pocket.

“It wasn’t love,” he whispered, as if saying it aloud would make it true.

*

Hux hadn’t looked at the broken pieces of the arrow for decades, though he had always kept them in his pocket, within close reach. He left Phasma in charge and left to travel the world and establish alliances with other clans and to gather information. It was like an extended business trip, but in all honesty, he just needed to get away. There were too many familiar places and faces and Hux wanted to forget and start over. He had never seen Ben again, but often wondered what was going on with the sarcastic, handsome Hunter and his silly friends. He sometimes felt the strange urge to go back, when Hux missed the castle, his friends, and hoped he may even run into Ben or Rey or some other Hunter, but he always suppressed that urge. It would do no good. It was for the best, he kept telling himself.

It happened on a warm summer night, when Hux was in America and decided to visit the Grand Canyon on suggestion of his host, a Native American vampire named Koko. He was sitting on a cliff, staring at the clear, starry sky and feeling content, when he felt a sharp, piercing pain in his heart. He fell back, gasping. He had never felt anything like this, as if a part of his soul had been ripped right out of him. On impulse, he reached into his pocket and grabbed the arrow, staring at it as the pain dulled. He knew. Ben had passed away. He had no idea how, but he just knew. He felt it, as clear and sharp as he felt the ground under him and the warm breeze on his face.

Hux gripped the silver head tight enough to draw blood. It was as close as he’d get to crying. “It wasn’t love, it wasn’t love,” he repeated to himself in a shaky tone quietly, but it still didn’t sound true.


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not as soon as I wanted, but finally the story is coming to an end. It had been a real good experience and I couldn't have done it without all the encouragement from you guys, so thanks for everything!
> 
> Beta-ed again by the wonderful [hitaka5ever](http://hitaka5ever.tumblr.com) / [Sladin5Ever](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sladin5Ever/pseuds/Sladin5Ever)

**A hundred years later…**

Hux had finally managed to restore peace and order within his kingdom, his world. They had hunted down each and every one of Snoke’s cronies, interrogating and, occasionally, torturing them to gain information. However, none of those had been completely fruitful, as there were just too many gaps. No one could explain what Snoke had been or where he had come from, and slowly Hux accepted the fact that he would never figure it out completely. He had solved the mystery of his own past, and that had to be enough. It was time to move on.

He took up residency in London, watching over several of his clubs, while enjoying the namelessness and the busy city buzzing with life. At first, he had dismissed Phasma’s suggestion, but eventually she convinced him it would be a good idea, a fresh start. She certainly had a point.

Hux loved it there, loved the variety of cultures, the mixture of modern and ancient. It was also easier to feed with this many people around, and the Hunters didn’t care as long as there were no dried out bodies floating down the River Thames. It was probably the most important part of their truce. No killing each other.

He wasn’t fond of parties and dancing, but since he was an owner of several prestigious establishments in London, and it was opening night for his newest night club, he had to show up to make pleasantries. The world had changed so much, and Hux and his people had to adapt. It turned out to be one of his smartest decisions. He made money, knew a lot of people–vampires and humans alike–and kept everyone under his watch.

The place was in a three story building, it had several dance floors and bars, as well as a VIP section. The décor was electric blue and black, and there were several bows and arrows as decoration, to fit the theme. It was called the Broken Arrow. Phasma quirked an eyebrow and gave him a meaningful look when he announced it, but thankfully she didn’t say a word.

Hux was standing in a VIP balcony, leaning over the dark rails and observing the crowd, sweeping it for anyone important or familiar. He didn’t feel like chatting, so he would only mingle if it was absolutely necessary. So far, Mitaka could handle all the special guests as he was the boss of the place. Hux couldn’t help a small swell of pride overcome him as he watched the boy running up and down, trying to please everyone and making small talk with anyone who was nearby. He was a natural, and the position fit him far better than the military. Hux was glad he had appointed Mitaka.

Hux’s eyes soon fell on a rather strange individual pushing through the mass. He was dressed in a long black coat even though it was rather hot in the club, with so many people crammed inside, but what stood out the most was a black and grey metal mask covering every inch of his face. How odd. He looked up and Hux had a feeling he was staring at him, but he couldn’t tell for sure. He stared back coolly. The stranger was confidently striding towards him, pushing people out of his way, but he got obviously stopped by the bodyguards. Hux noted with satisfaction that they were efficient. One of them, Hux didn’t care to remember their names, walked up to Hux and asked if he knew the man. After a bit of hesitation, Hux gestured at them to let him pass, and they did. It wasn’t like Hux needed bodyguards, it was only for appearance. He was the owner even though he had other people running his clubs. He rarely showed up, and even if he did, it was only for a short time.

Curious about who the masked man was and what he wanted, Hux took a seat in a blue leather armchair, gesturing at the coach across, offering a seat. The place was far from the blaring music, so that wasn’t a distraction. A waiter came almost immediately, offering a glass of really expensive champagne, but the figure declined.

Dreadful manners, Hux took a mental note.

“I need to talk to you,” the man stated without even introducing himself, his tone deep and raspy through the metal mask.

Hux was amazed at the man’s boldness, which was probably the reason he wasn’t at his throat yet. Kids these days, no respect for anyone, no manners, no class. Sometimes, Hux missed the old days. He took in the view, trying to gather as much information as he could. Unfortunately, he could only rely on his eyes and instinct as he could never trust his nose with this many people around. The man was young, Hux could tell from the way he held himself and he was obviously a bit of an outsider. He looked out of place and was still confident and foolishly brave. Hux decided the man can leave the mask on, for now.

“I’m listening,” he said curtly, keeping his expression cold and distant.

“About the name of the club.”

Hux tilted his head, amused. “It’s quite catchy, don’t you agree?”

It was hard to read the guy without seeing his face, but Hux could pick things up, like how his hands were trembling slightly in nervousness, his legs tense, his heartbeat really quick. He also appeared somewhat excited, though Hux didn’t know that for sure. He suddenly got a strange feeling and barely managed to suppress a frown.

“We both know its origin,” he said plainly and Hux felt a pang of something. He couldn’t quite place it, it had been so long.

Hux levelled him with a steady gaze. “Do I know you?”

“No, but I know everything about you.”

Hux barked a laugh. “Are you threatening me?”

The man shook his head. “Not at all. I’m only stating facts.”

Hux found this conversation weirdly amusing. “Really?” he dared. _‘Let’s see if this fool knows he’s playing with his life.’_

“You’re Armitage Hux, the vampire king of Eastern Europe, and you’ve freed your kind from the terror of the monster Snoke,” he said.

The grin disappeared from Hux’s face, being replaced with anger and confusion. There were not many who knew about Hux’s title, let alone his history with Snoke. Most of those people had been dead by now.

“Who are you?” he demanded, narrowing his eyes at the mask.

“There’s no need to be alarmed, I’m not an enemy.”

“Then remove your mask,” Hux commanded stonily. The man hesitated, clearly uncomfortable, but then he reached to the back of his head and opened the straps, revealing his face. Hux’s heart would have skipped a beat if it was still beating. Instead, his eyes went wide and he drew in a shaky breath, paling.

“Ben?” he whispered, subconsciously reaching forward before yanking his hand back.

He was seeing a ghost, a ghost from the past, a ghost of someone he had been running away from his whole life. But no, Ben was dead, Hux had felt it, and then it was confirmed, and it had been so long, more than a century, this couldn’t be Ben. He forced himself to look at the face, examining it. His hair was a little longer but the same shade of dark, and his face was nearly Ben’s except for the plump lips and the sharp nose. He was also lean, whereas Ben had been fit. But his eyes, they were dark brown and sharp and his cheekbones were just like Ben’s.

“Ben Solo was my great-grandfather,” the guy spoke, his voice deeper than Ben’s and definitely more pleasant without the mask. “I’m Ren,” he added somehow sheepishly, and smiled.

Of course. Hux was silly to think it was Ben, even for a second. Ben was dead; had been for a long while. This guy, Ren, had to be a Hunter as well. Now that Hux had been through the shock, he returned to his reserved and calm self and leaned back in the armchair, eyeing the boy who was no older than twenty.

“I didn’t break any rules.”

The boy broke into a grin, and Hux couldn’t help but find him rather handsome. He may look like Ben, but his actions, they were nothing alike. “Honestly, I don’t care. I’ve left the Hunters years ago.”

“What do you want then?”

Ren leant forward over the coffee table. “To change me,” he said bluntly.

Hux scoffed then let out a laugh. Ren looked serious though, and a bit offended. Oh no. He did mean it. “You take me for a fool? Why would I do that? It’s against the Truce.”

Ren’s eyes were full of hope and sadness and his voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke. The sudden change of attitude was a bit alarming. “You have to make things right.”

Hux nearly blurted out, ‘what the fuck’s that supposed to mean?!’ but refrained from it. Instead, he went for playing dumb, which wasn’t far from the truth. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Ren gave him a sceptical glare. “Really? Because I’ve read _his_ journal.”

_Ben’s_.

This was insane. Hux shook his head, looking amused. “Look, kid, I don’t know what crazy things Ben wrote in his diary, and I don’t-”

“Right. Because you didn’t have any feelings for him.”

“Correct.”

“He also wrote that you were lying, and if your reaction to seeing my face is any indication at all, then he was right.” Hux opened his mouth, but Ren was quicker. His tone was almost sympathetic. This was stellar, all Hux needed was an ex-Hunter who looked just like Ben Solo feel sorry for him. “He went back for that arrow, you see.” He beckoned to the large blue neon writing on the wall. “Quite fitting, huh?”

Hux was completely speechless. When he woke up at dusk, he had expected a lot of things, but reality surpassed all his imagination. He never thought he would ever have a conversation about Ben, especially not with his descendant. It was odd. He didn’t want to be dragged back in the past and yet he yearned for it. The feelings he had buried very deep down started to surface and Hux wasn’t sure whether to stop them or let them engulf him.

Ren bore a striking resemblance to Ben, it was almost speaking to a ghost, except he wasn’t. Ren was very much alive and he looked sharp and smart and sly, and knew exactly how to get under Hux’s skin. He had done it even faster than Ben could. Hux shouldn’t be having this conversation at all. He should get up and run, never to look back again, or lunge at him and snap his neck, make it look like an accident. He did neither. He stayed and spoke.

“Let’s pretend what you say is true, for a moment. It’s still ~~a~~ not a good enough reason for me to change you,” Hux reasoned, surprised by how rational he managed to think.

Ren looked calm and serious, and spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You owe him.”

Hux snarled. “I owe him nothing.”

“You made his whole life miserable,” Ren said accusingly and his words knocked the wind out of Hux. What was Ren talking about? He let Ben go so he could have a more or less normal life. He did the best thing he could do. Ren looked surprised by his reaction and with a sad smile added, “You don’t know, do you?”

Hux’s patience was wearing thin. “Know what?”

“He spent his whole life searching for you. It cost him everything. His friends, his family, even his sanity. You broke him.”

Hux shook his head. “No,” he whispered horrified. That couldn’t be true. Ren was lying, he was trying to trick him into changing him, there was no proof. Hux never thought he had hurt Ben, he wanted to let him go, he wanted him to have a life, to move on, he didn’t- It didn’t matter anymore, he reminded himself harshly. Hux wasn’t responsible for the path Ben chose. Ben was dead anyway and there was nothing he could do to make things right. Except… “All the more reason for you to stay away,” Hux said at last.

Ren looked away and bit his lip. “No, you don’t understand. I want to stay with you, I have to.”

Hux was genuinely surprised. This conversation was plain bizarre. “Why would you _have_ to stay with me? You don’t even know me.”

Ren shrugged, then looked into Hux’s eyes at last, his cheeks turning a little rosy. Great, apparently Ben’s offspring had a crush on him after reading Ben’s journal.

“I do know you, kind of, but I want to get to know you by myself,” he explained in a shaky tone. “I’m not only his descendant, I, uh, well, really, I can’t explain, but, it’s kind of like, I mean it feels like, I know you. I think I’m his reincarnation, to some extent.”

Hux eyed him for a long moment, then cleared his throat and hoped his voice wouldn’t sound strained. “You should leave.”

Ren looked at him, stubbornness clear in his brown eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“I could kill you.”

“You could,” Ren agreed, staring at Hux defiantly.

Hux stared back, annoyed. “Why did you leave the Hunters?”

Ren looked surprised for a moment, but then he shrugged, muttering, “Didn’t fit in, y’know? Kind of a black sheep, what with being obsessed with vampires and all.”

“Charming. So you left them for me?”

“I left them, yeah. Spent the last three years tracking you down.”

“Are you some sort of stalker?” Hux asked cautiously.

Ren let out an amused laugh, wiping the corners of his eyes. “Well, I’ve been having dreams of you for as long as I can remember.”

“That’s…interesting.”

“Are you going to change me?”

Hux rolled his eyes, but he had already made up his mind. Oh, on his long list of stupid things, this was probably the stupidest, and that list included siding with the Hunters against his own kind. Gosh, if they both survived, Phasma would give him such a lecture.

“Depends, are you going to be annoying?” Hux asked back with a small grin. Ren grinned back, his eyes shining with relief and happiness. It warmed Hux’s cold heart. He really did have a soft spot for tall sassy Hunters with black hair and brown eyes and a teasing grin and a mildly annoying personality. “We could both die,” Hux said at last, examining Ren’s face.

Ren simply shrugged and continued grinning. “We could.”

Hux was sure he’d lost his mind. He was supposed to be the most responsible vampire at this age and there he was, seriously considering the idea of changing a Hunter, who just happened to be the reincarnation of Ben Solo. After a lengthy lecture, Phasma would either kill them or throw a celebration party, and Hux didn’t know which one would be worse. Gosh, he really shouldn’t do this, it was stupid and dangerous and— Hux didn’t care. He gestured at the armrest beside him.

“Come here.” Ren stood up and walked over hesitantly, shaking a bit, as if he couldn’t quite believe it was happening. “Have you changed your mind?” Hux asked solemnly and prayed that he did.

Ren shook his head, giving a lopsided grin. “No.”

Hux stared at him for a long time, trying to find any hint of doubt or resistance. There was none. Ren was a bit nervous, obviously, but aside from that, there was nothing to make Hux stop and think. Ren truly wanted it and his willingness sent a chill up Hux’s spine.

Hux pulled Ren into his lap and tilted his head, brushing his long black locks out of the way. He trailed his fingers down the sensitive skin, grinning as Ren flinched then released a shaky breath, his heart beating rapidly. It was so strange. It felt so familiar yet somewhat completely new. Hux was sure what he felt was some sort of mutual attraction, as if an invisible strength kept pulling them towards each other.

He had fucked everything up with Ben and would never have a chance to make it up, but maybe, just maybe, he had a slight chance to do better this time, with Ren. Ren wasn’t Ben, not at all, but he liked Hux and Hux liked him back, and he could tell that after barely thirty minutes of talking and glaring. Truth was, Hux was tired of being alone. True, he hadn’t deserved Ben, and he probably didn’t deserve Ren either, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get it. He was tired of running away.

Drawing his claws, Hux made a small cut on his own neck. “You’ll have to drink my blood.”

Ren nodded, his eyes cloudy. He was already in some sort of trance, even though Hux had barely started the turning.

He pulled Ren’s face against his neck and Hux sank his fangs into Ren’s pulsing vein, the blood bitter and salty on his tongue. Ren tensed and bit back a yelp. Hux held him firmly, one hand on his neck, the other wrapped around his waist, and then Ren started to lick the blood off of Hux’s skin, wrapping his arms around Hux’s neck. There was something incredibly arousing and erotic about the turning ritual, even though it wasn’t all that unique or special. It was just intimate, and the fact that Ren looked almost like Ben brought up memories in Hux.

He pushed Ren back and took his face between his palms, examining his face. Blood was trailing down Ren’s chin, Hux’s blood, and his heart was beating so fast that Hux worried it would leap out of his chest. He forced Ren to look at him and relief flooded his veins when Ren grinned at him, his eyes a bit clearer. He opened his mouth to say something snarky, like telling him not to worry, but the words got caught up in his throat and his eyes widened as he fell forward, clutching at Hux painfully. Then his heart stopped, before Hux could even blink. No, no, NO! This can’t be!

Hux should have never done this, never gave in to the temptation, never have assumed he had a chance of happiness. What had he done?

“Ren? REN?” He shook the lifeless body harshly, his voice desperate. Nothing happened. “Ren, wake up!”

He didn’t mean for this to happen. Why was fate so cruel to him? It showed him something good only to take it away again, tempting and taunting from the distance, and always slipping away from Hux’s grasp. It was Hux’s fault again, and this time, he could be blamed. Dracula, the Hunters would have his head for this, and he probably deserved it.

Ren stirred and Hux grabbed his shoulders, pushing him up enough to look at his face. “Ren?”

Ren’s eyelids fluttered open ~~ed~~ , revealing a red gaze. He looked at Hux confused, then chuckled. “That felt weird.”

Hux broke into a maniac laughter. “You nearly had me for a second there, I thought-”

“Yeah, me too,” Ren nodded, and then glanced around, frowning. “I’m hungry.”

Hux smiled. “Of course you are.” He snapped his fingers at the waiter standing further down at the entrance of his VIP booth. He hurried away only to return with a jar of something red. Blood. Ren didn’t even bother with a glass, he just grabbed at it, starving, and downed it all in three steady gulps before wiping his mouth.

He smiled gratefully at Hux and whispered, “Thank you.”

Hux smiled back, then before saying anything to embarrass himself, he grabbed Ren by the collar and pulled him in for a long, heated kiss. Ren responded eagerly, lapping his tongue over Hux’s, tilting his head and opening his mouth to give better access, completely melting in Hux’s embrace while kissing back passionately.

Ren wasn’t Ben, Hux knew that. But Ren was his chance to make everything right, to have what he should have had with Ben if he hadn’t been such a coward and a fool. And this time, Hux would make damn sure he wouldn’t let go, no matter what.


End file.
